


Beautiful Blue

by MellyHorror



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-26
Updated: 2013-12-27
Packaged: 2017-12-06 14:31:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 30,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/736733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MellyHorror/pseuds/MellyHorror
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katherine and Elena get trapped in the tomb together, but what happens after they get out? Rated M.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Katherine and Elena get trapped in the tomb together, but what happens after they get out? Rated M. 

“No really Damon, I’m fine.” I complained, crossing my arm tighter across my chest while I pressed the phone to my ear, “Seriously, I’m a big girl, I think I can walk alone at night.”

“Stefan said you-.”

“I don’t care what he said Damon, I want to be left alone.” I snapped, my fist tightening around my phone to the point where I thought I might crush it. I had to stop walking just to get myself under control, “Goodbye, Damon.”

“I’ll wait for you to get back.”

“Goodbye, Damon.” I said more forcefully, ending the call and shoving the phone into my pocket. My head was killing me, almost as much as my stomach was. I needed to eat, but after what I did to Matt, whether he remembers or not, and then what I did to Connor, I really couldn’t bring myself to feed again. The buzz from the drink Damon gave me and the food I’d been eating like crazy was helping a little.

I stopped walking again, putting my hands in my back pockets before leaning my head back and staring up at the sky, exhaling slowly. My hair tumbled across my shoulders and hung behind me, tickling the skin of my back where my tank top had ridden up. It was so relaxing to just stare at the stars and not worry about anything at all.

Some people turned onto the stretch of the sidewalk I was standing on, the smell of their blood pumping through their veins hit me hard and it took every bit of my will power to stand still as they jogged past me and I had to duck my head so my hair covered my vein-y face.

My feet carried me toward the cemetery, far away from anyone I could possibly try to feed off of. Once between the tombstones I felt at ease, like nothing bothered me anymore. I fixed my bag on my shoulder, continuing through to my parents head stone, I dropped myself in front of it and crossed my legs, dropping my bag on my lap.

I didn’t talk like I usually did, I just sat there. Calm, peace that was really all I needed. A break from everyone with a heartbeat, and everyone with out one, too. My peace was short lived however; I remember a crunch of a stick and the sound of something zipping through the air. It felt like a bee sting hit the center of my back and the world disappeared.

-

The world came rushing back to me like I was hit by a train; I sat up, my nails digging into dirt beneath me. The world spun for a minute and then my eyes focused. I knew immediately where I was. The tomb. That wasn’t good. I stood up as fast as I could, reaching for my phone in my pocket.

“Don’t bother, I already checked. No phone.” The voice froze me mid-motion, I couldn’t have been hearing right, “Hello Elena.” And then Katherine was standing in front of me with a blank look on her face, staring at me with her head slightly cocked to the side.

“Katherine.” I retorted, feeling as if that was always how we greeted each other. She sighed, pointing her hand to my right; I looked over and saw that the entrance to the tomb was closed. I was trapped down here with Katherine.

“Magic sealed it shut; I can’t even touch the door with out getting thrown back about ten feet.” She stated, “Come on. I’ll give you the grand tour. Grab your purse.” And she started to walk away. I looked around at my feet, locating my bag on the ground, and followed after her. 

Twenty or so minutes later had us sitting on the ground on opposite sides of the wall, staring at each other, “do you have anything interesting in that bag of yours?” she suddenly asked, pointing toward it with her toe of her shoe. I shrugged and tossed it to her, continuing to stare at my shoes. Maybe when I didn’t call Damon he’d worry and come to check on me and when he didn’t find me he’d look harder.

“You still have tampons in here?” she laughed, waving one through the air with an amused expression on her face.

“It’s not like I’ve been dead for hundreds of years. It’s been like two weeks.” I stared down at my nails, picking at the invisible dirt under them, “why are you back in Mystic Falls?” 

She blinked at me with a blank expression on her face, still digging through my purse, “who said I left?” I raised an eyebrow at her and she turned her eyes back to my purse without saying anything else until she found my iPod and pulled it out with a smirk, she was gone and back in a blink, holding something small that she hooked into the iPod.

My music filled the tomb; she glanced at the iPod and back up at me, “Disney music? Why does that not surprise me.” I shrugged my shoulders, tapping my feet along to the song, I was a Disney girl and Katherine wouldn’t make me feel bad about it. A few song changes later a classical song came on, one of those things that came preinstalled on the computer, I didn’t know what it was and I didn’t know it was on my iPod. 

“How long have you been living in the tomb?” I asked her. She didn’t answer instead she walked away, hoping smoothly over the bench and went through the iron gate, bending over. I hear glass clink and she suddenly throws a bottle at me. Luckily I see it in time and catch it before it smashes into my face, Katherine looked slightly disappointed.

“Vodka?” She shrugged, walking back through the gate and over to where she was sitting beside the iPod as the song changes to a Kesha song. She raised an eyebrow at me in silent question. I answer with a shrug and open the bottle, smelling it warily before I take a swig. It burns unpleasantly down my throat, and settles in my stomach, washing over the hunger and ebbing it slightly, “How long have you been here?”

“Since before Rebekah forced Matt off the bridge and killed you. She snapped my neck, thinking I was you. She wasn’t very happy when I woke up while she was trying to bury me.” she smirked like it was a fond memory and tipped the bottle back, “where were you when you got caught?”

“The cemetery.” She made a face that I somehow understood to mean ‘why’, “I needed to get away from Damon. I’ve been living in the Salvatore house since Stefan stupidly woke my brother’s hunter genes and he now wants to kill me.”

“Little Jeremy’s a hunter, huh? And Stefan woke his powers? Would it have anything to do with that cure I keep hearing about?” she wondered, I nodded my head, “so he wants to help Klaus get the cure to turn you human so that he can use you as a blood bag just so his little defenseless human Elena is back?”

I groaned, dropping my head against the wall, “I don’t even want to be human. He thinks it has to do with me being sired to Damon, but if that were true and my world revolved around Damon I wouldn’t be trapped here. So that’ll show him.” I grumble, tipping the bottle back and taking a deep swig, “and he used to be all ‘I’ll always do what Elena wants’ and I told him not to risk Jeremy for me to be human and he did it anyways! He killed someone and made Jeremy stake them!”

Katherine rolled her eyes, tipping her bottle back, “I don’t see what’s wrong with you being a vampire.” She looked over at me, “I like you just as little now as I did then.” She laughed. 

I didn’t bother scowling at her, she’s just Katherine and what do I care what she thinks, “I don’t like you much better this way, either.” I told her, tipping the bottle back again, “but this is helping.”

She tilted her head to the side and stared at me, “you’re hungry.”

“Starving.” I mumbled, “I can only drink human blood.”

“Damn that sire bond.” She chuckled clearly she’d been lingering around a lot more often than we knew, “It would have happened with either brother, just so Damon can’t gloat like I know he’s doing. It’s because I turned them, oh doppelganger of mine.” I lifted an eyebrow in question, “you’re tied to me, my blood made them, which makes your connection to them stronger because we’re connected, it’s just a bonus that you had feelings for Damon.”

“That makes sense.” She gives me a look that basically says ‘of course it does, I said it’ but didn’t speak. And neither did I. I finished the bottle and my hunger was coming back with a vengeance. Katherine was sitting on the floor still, but in my pacing I’d gotten up and lay down on the bench. She commented Stefan laid the same way when he was trapped in here with her. I ignored her, and she told me what she dream did to him, even though I already knew about it. 

“I’m so fucking hungry.” I finally said, rolling onto my stomach to stare at her, “do you have anything else I can drink?” 

“Beautiful Blue Danube.” Katherine said without answering me, she looked at me with a far off look in her gaze, “do you know how to do the waltz?” 

“No.” I replied, sitting up on the bench and watching her. She got up, restarting the song before she walked over to me, extending her hand to me. I just stared up at her with what I hopped was a blank expression.

“Come on, it’s just a dance Elena, it’s not going to kill you.” With a sigh I took her hand, letting her pull me off the bench. She showed me a few steps and then gracefully pulled me around the small dirt area. The music invaded my senses as she spun me about the dance floor at a quick pace, and then abruptly slowed with the music, staring into my eyes.

Her eyes were so dark, so deep, even darker than my own. Full of hidden secrets I was suddenly burning to learn. When the song changed we just stepped closer, swaying with the music. She held me a little bit closer, , her arms hanging around my hips while my arms were around her neck, this felt so comfortable. We swayed to nothing, the music a faster beat then we moved, but I wasn’t really paying attention to that as Katherine locked eyes with me, “you’re eyes are full of fire.” She murmured, leaning closer, resting her forehead against mine.

My breath hitched in my throat at the sudden contact as she pulled me closer, just an inch, one hand coming up to gently take my chin and tip my face upward, she kissed me slowly at first, testing my reaction. When I didn’t resist and kissed me a little harder, those soft lips melding against mine and lighting a fire in my belly. Something inside me snapped and I shoved her roughly up against the wall, kissing her roughly, our teeth scraping each other as one hand tangled in my hair.

And then I woke up, lying on that stupid bench feeling a way I shouldn’t be feeling about Katherine. She was behind me, still on the ground, smirking while she filed her nails, I wanted to kiss her, I could claim it was to make sure the way I was feeling was manipulation but it’d be lying. I lunged at her, but she moved quickly and before I could process it she had me pressed up against a wall, her breath fanning across my lips, smelling faintly like vodka and blood.

I stared at her for a moment before clenching my hands into fists, I leant in and pressed my lips against hers firmly, they were soft and warm, much like the rest of her, and that fire in my belly roared to life. Caught off guard her grip on my wrists loosened and I spun her around, pinning her down on the bench with my body lying onto top of her. I kissed her feverishly, and she kissed me back, her arms going around my back and her nails digging into my shoulder blades.

It quickly turned into a race for dominance, and Katherine flipped me off the bench and onto the ground, ripping my tank top off in the process before attacking my neck with soft lips and harsh blunt teeth. I grabbed her shoulders and rolled us both over, pulling her tank top off in a clumsy motion, throwing it as far away as I could before looking down at her, my breath catching in my throat.

She looked up at me with dark hooded eyes, fangs out, chest heaving, “there’s no turning back, Elena.” She murmured, tracing a finger down my arm.

“Good.” I breathed, leaning down as she sat up, kissing each other slowly, her hands holding my face as I lost myself in her lips, and then her hands were everywhere, making my body heat up like nobody else had ever done. She had my clothes off faster than I thought possible.

I wasn’t as fast, and eventually she yanked her own bra off before pinning me to the ground and kissing my throat, down my chest, slowly, teasingly running her tongue between my breasts before placing a soft kiss between the two of them and moving further down, it was rushed and slow at the same time, her skin was soft and her movements harsh, and her tongue was so fucking hot as it traced a path down my stomach.

She looked at me briefly with a coy smirk before her fingers hooked around my underwear and she tore them off, tossing the remains aside before she ducked her head between my legs, one hand holding either thigh apart as she showed me just how talented that mouth of hers was. My eyelids slammed shut and my brain scrambled to keep up with the sensations I was feeling as I arched off the ground toward her, my muscles aching, my stomach twisting with anticipation. Her name tumbled from my mouth like a prayer, her fingers working magic inside of me as she pulled me up to sit in her lap, her teeth nibbling on the hallow of my neck, “Katherine…” I whispered, my head tipping back.

“Shh, Elena, just enjoy it.” She whispered, almost tenderly, her free hand massaging my lower back as her fingers pumped inside me. I felt her fangs scrape against my throat and she bit down. I’d been bit before but it never felt this amazing. My thoughts disappeared as my body shook and tingled, I felt like I was floating on air. Katherine moaned against my neck, her warm tongue lapping over the mark. 

She bit with blunt teeth on my collar bone and looked up at me with a mischievous glint in her dark eyes. I smirked at her and pushed her onto her back, hovering over her. I kissed her hard, running my hand down her side and over her bare hip, up her inner thigh, feeling the heat radiating from her. She groaned when my fingers entered her slowly, I pulled away from the kiss to look at her; she stared back at me with a hooded lust filled gaze. It was hypnotizing. 

My hand moved to the slow steady tempo of the music from my iPod, I kissed and nipped her neck, her collar bone, her lips. I wanted to kiss every inch of her, please every inch of her. She made pleasant sounds, arched her back and scraped her nails through the dirt, but that wasn’t enough for me. I craved more. I wanted her to feel the way I felt. I sped up my motions, eliciting a pleasant groan from her, growing louder as I sped up. 

I was caught up in her hypnotizing stare again, and it was as if watching her made her feel something more because she suddenly threw her head back and cried out, exposing her throat to me. My fangs were down before I could think and I leaned forward, biting into her throat without hesitation. She cried my name, her body shuddering and her thighs squeezing my hand as I drank her blood, my thoughts swimming away in a drunken spin as the fire reignited in my belly.

Katherine stared at me with fire in her gaze and a coy smile on her face, “let me show you just how

“Elena…” Katherine called an hour later, her voice sounding a little hoarse. I blinked my eyes open and sat up. We were laying in the dirt tangled together, my head over her non-beating heart. Her arm wrapped around my back and our legs woven together. She was using her free hand to stroke the arm I had draped over her stomach, “Elena someone is coming.”

It didn’t take me more than a second to get to my feet and jump away from her, I wasn’t sure how I felt about what happened but I knew nobody needed to see us like this, she grabbed her clothes and threw me mine, running around faster than even my vampire vision could follow. Instead I pulled on whatever clothes she handed me and fixed my hair, checking out my outfit.

Jeans, tank top, sweater. No bra, no underwear. She held up the remains of my last good set with an unapologetic grin on her face. She was back in jeans and the tattered bits of her tank top as well as her bra. I was left to wonder about her underwear, since I hadn’t been the one to remove them I hardly knew if she had them on in the first place.

“You can come out now.” It was Stefan; he must’ve been by the entrance to the tomb. I glanced at Katherine and she looked back at me with the same confused expression but quickly covered it up with an indifferent look. Katherine had my bag hanging on one finger, held out in front of her. I shrugged and took it; we pulled our shoes back on and walked forward together, I prayed it wasn’t too obvious what we’d been doing.

“I called someone to lift the spell as soon as I heard Rebekah telling someone about it.” Stefan said, “come on Elena.” He held his hand out and looked between Katherine and I confused, “are you wearing each others clothing? I swear those are Elena’s jeans.”

Katherine and I looked at each other. She was wearing my jeans, I was wearing hers, I had her shoes, and she had mine and our tops were still ours, “looks like it.” Katherine says, wrapping her arm around my back and slipping her hand into my back pocket, she pushed me forward, past Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie and she stopped in front of Damon.

“Is that blood, Elena?” he looked straight at me and reached forward to swipe at the corner of my mouth, “How?” he looked to Katherine.

“I’m stronger, Damon.” Katherine stated simply, “we’re connected, which makes me have a greater hold over little Elena here. Although I used none of that earlier. That was all her.” if I had the ability to blush I would. I pulled away from her quickly, angrily. Had she used that on me? Was that all because of her? 

“How could you?” I hissed.

“I didn’t Elena. The dream, yes. The rest was you.” She ran her hand up my side and kissed the base of my neck over her bite, her hand grazed across my center briefly, causing me to shudder, and with that she disappeared. I felt eyes on me from all directions, accusing glances, cruel judgment no doubt. Shame settled firmly on my shoulders. Damon put his arm across my shoulders and hugged me to his side, leading me from the tomb silently. He would probably be the only one not to judge me. I leaned against him gratefully, tears stinging my eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

We pulled up outside of my house thirty minutes later, Damon cutting the engine but making no move to get out. I sit in the passenger seat picking at nonexistent lint on my jeans, my head hurt, my eyes ached, my stomach clenched in painful hunger. I felt like I was going to cry again. I felt like I was going to scream. “I have some blood bags in a cooler in the back of the car.” Damon says, I turn my head and look at him, confused, “you can drink blood bags, trust me.” he looks away quickly and shame fills me. Even he couldn’t look at me after what I did. I dropped my head and reached for the door handle.

 

“Thanks for the ride, Damon.” I whispered, pulling the door handle slightly.

 

“Elena…” I turn back to him, “it shouldn’t matter what everyone else thinks of you, if she made you feel good you shouldn’t feel bad about that. I don’t judge you for exploring things that make you feel good. Embrace your vampire side. You’re going to be around for a long time.” He gives me his little half smirk and looks away again, but I still feel hallow inside. Anger boils in my stomach with a pinch of humiliation and a lot of confusion.

 

I pull the door handle fully and slip out. Damon pops the trunk for me and I take the cooler out, carrying it up to the house without looking back at his car as it disappears around the corner. I drop the cooler inside the kitchen and explore the fridge. Jeremy doesn’t have much food in here, but I can’t bring myself to put the blood in there. I fill the cooler with fresh ice and take a blood bag out, staring at it nervously, not sure if I really want to be puking tonight.

 

I grab a coffee mug from the cupboard and pour some blood into it, putting it into the microwave for ten seconds. When I open the microwave the smell hits me like a million bricks in the face, my fangs are out before I can fully process the stinging sensation that comes with them and I chug down the mug, fill it up and heat it again. I make it through two more before I feel full, content. I set the mug in the sink and rinse it, wash the blood from around my mouth, and head slowly up the stairs to my bedroom. I don’t know what I was expecting, maybe that Jeremy had come in here and destroyed everything, but it looked the same as always. My bed was still unmade from the morning before I left, my clothes still lying where I’d tossed them, the curtain still half pulled away from my window.

 

I wandered around aimlessly, marveling at everything as if I hadn’t been in this room in years, coming to stand in front of the mirror and look at myself. My hair was a mess, my skin darkened with dirt from the tomb, and clean tracks traced over my cheeks from where my tears had rolled earlier in the car and where I had washed the blood from my face. I was in serious need of a shower. I peeled off my clothing as I walked from my dresser to the door that led to the bathroom, dropping my last article of clothing as I stepped through the door. Without looking at the mirror I turned on the shower and stood at the counter to run a brush through my hair before I tried to wash it.

 

Once I’m done I step under the hot stream and watch dirt roll off of my skin and circle down the drain. I couldn’t believe I’d really done that with Katherine, I let her touch me and taste me, and I’d done the same to her. I ran my hands over my arms, watching more dirt rinse off of me. On the ground of all places, too. Oh but it had felt so good, her hot mouth and cold fingers, the way her dark eyes made my stomach twist and heat pool between my legs, even now. Something about her was dark, and demented, and completely alluring. I close my eyes and duck my head under the water. Katherine’s dark eyes swim before me, the look on her face when I ate her out, the way her whole body convulsed around me, the way she looked between my legs. I ran my hand down between my legs nervously, leaning against the shower wall, exploring nervously.

 

Katherine’s curls, mused from my fingers tangling in them, Katherine’s soft lips on mine. A soft moan passed my lips as I rubbed my clit. The way her long fingers felt inside me. I used my other hand to brace myself against the wall, the water drummed on my stomach as I slipped my fingers inside me. Katherine’s soft skin, luscious breath, that voice. Her fingers brushing across my sides. Her tongue lapping at my folds. My legs almost gave out; I slammed my head into the shower wall, “Katherine…” I whispered, pumping my fingers faster. Her fangs in my neck, her drinking my blood, “Oh Katherine.” I whimpered.

 

I curled my fingers inside and rubbed my palm against my clit. I lost it completely, my body shuddered and only by pure luck I managed to stay upright. I kept picturing her lean, tan, naked body. The way those dark eyes filled with lust as she looked down at me. I removed my fingers and let my hand hang by my side, leaning against the wall panting unneeded breath. I was almost not surprised when a pair of soft lips wrapped around my fingers and a tongue wrapped around them before sliding away. I managed to open my eyes enough to see Katherine standing beside my shower, naked, my finger tips between her lips.

 

She dropped my hand and straightened up, swinging a leg over the edge of my tub and stepping in. She pulled the curtain closed and step up to me, the shower head raining over her hair as she leaned forward, her chest pressed against mine, her lips almost touching mine, “I can make you feel such much better than that.” she whispered, running her finger tips down my stomach, over my hip and up my inner thigh.

 

“Katherine…”

 

“Just tell me what you want me to do, Elena.” Katherine said, “tell me to leave, or tell me to stay, the choice is yours.” She didn’t move to do anything and I couldn’t open my mouth. I couldn’t figure out what to do. I wanted her to stay and I wanted her to leave. I wanted her to touch me, and I wanted her to get away from me. I wanted this. But I didn’t want it, right?

 

“Katherine…” she just blinked at me. I wanted to tell her I didn’t know what I wanted, but that wasn’t what I said. No, because I said what I really wanted, “kiss me.” she leaned forward and kissed my softly, bringing her hands up to cup either side of my face, her knee coming up between my thighs to pin me against the wall. I put my hands on her hips and hold her close as she kisses me.

 

She pulls away first, looking at me silently as she removes her knee from between my thighs, “what now Elena?” she doesn’t move to do anything else. She just waits for me to tell her what I want her to do to me. I take her hand from my cheek and slowly guide it between my legs, but she just holds her hand there, looking at me, “tell me what you want.”

 

If I could blush…”Katherine I can’t say it.”

 

“Then I can’t do it Elena.” She doesn’t pull her hand back, “tell me that you want me finger you, or do you want me to eat you out, maybe both. Make you orgasm until you can’t stand. Make you feel free, wild, the best you’ve ever felt and the way nobody else can make you feel.”

 

She stares at me, unblinking, challenge in her eyes, “I want you ravage me.” I tell her, finding confidence in her stare, “I want you to do whatever you want to me, I want you to make me feel like nobody else ever has. I want you to set me free.” I tell her, grabbing her hand and forcing her fingers to brush over my sensitive clit. My body shudders.

 

“Perfect.” She whispers, she slowly rolls her finger over me her mouth on my neck nibbling and sucking on the tender flesh. I close my eyes and roll my hips against her hand. She makes a tutting noise and uses her free hand to slam my hip back into the shower wall, sliding a finger between my folds, she’s driving me nuts. She slowly slides one finger in and out of me, teasingly, enough to send shocks through my body and drive me crazy. She chuckles darkly, removing her finger entirely. She shuts off my shower, picks me up and the world disappears. For a split second I’m floating in the air before I hit the mattress of my bed and Katherine is on top of me, her knee driving into my center, causing enough friction that my vison swims for a minute.

 

She kisses me slowly, her tongue lazily dominating mine as one of her hands massages my breast, her fingers rolling over my nipple, applying just the right amount of pressure to send waves of pleasure through my body straight to my core as she grinds her knee into me. I wrap my legs around hers and force her knee harder against me, burying my fingers in her hair and crushing her lips against mine.

 

She doesn’t fight me or protest, she simply squeezes my breast harder in her hand and moans into my mouth, driving her knee into me in a way that sets my body on fire. I never thought it was possible to get off with someone’s knee, but Katherine, if anything, is capable of the impossible. A simple pinch of my nipple and her knee grinding in just the right place and spots fill my vision as she bites my bottom lip, my body shudders with release. I break the kiss and sink into my pillows, wondering if she’s done, but she forces my legs from around her knee and chuckles when my knees fall apart for her. I watch her kneeling between my thighs with a cocky grin on her face, but I’m too hyped up to care, I just want her to touch me.

 

She leans back over me, one knee on either side of my hips, her hands dip between our bodies and her fingers slide into me. She stares at me the whole time, her other hand massaging her breasts. Her chest heaves with unnecessary labored breaths. I can’t force myself to look away from her for longer than a groan of pleasure. Somehow watching her pleasure herself makes what she’s doing to me that much better, and soon she’s got her hand between her own legs, eyes locked with mine. “Elena…” she whispers when my eyes screw shut after she rubs her thumb over my clit, “watch me, Elena. Don’t look away.” I struggle to keep my eyes on her, my toes curl and every muscle in my body tenses as I watch her body go stiff, her eyes turning black as her fangs come out. She is so fucking mesmerizing.

 

Suddenly her thrusts inside me get harder. I arch off of the bed, my knee coming up between her legs, I can feel her sticky heat on my thigh as I fall back against the bed, my stomach twists and everything inside me tenses before I arch off of the bed again, I break eye contact with her as my vision goes dark and everything inside me is on fire, electricity shoots through me and oh god, “Katherine!”

 

“Elena...” she groans, “Elena...oh _god_.” I can feel her calves tense beside my thighs and she drops one hand beside my head, when I open my eyes she’s right above me, eyes screwed shut, her other hand moving quickly between her legs, and then she opens her eyes and I can practically see the orgasm in her eyes, her throat tightens and her body shudders and I’m wondering how she hasn’t collapsed on top of me, and then she does, her face buried in my neck, she inhales deeply.

 

It doesn’t take her long to recover, soon she’s between my legs, and her hair pulled over one shoulder as her hands grip my thighs. This time my brain turns to mush as soon as her tongue touches me. Whatever she’s doing feels great, the blood in my body rushes through me like a live current and I almost rip my comforter as I fist my hands in my sheets. She has one of my legs over her shoulder and her cheek resting on my other thigh.  

 

Her nails dig into my thighs the closer I get to my release, and she can tell when I’m almost there because she pulls away, and crawls back up my body, placing a knee between my thighs, just close enough I can feel it and her hand pressed into my stomach keeps me from inching forward just enough to tip me over the edge. But what she does is better than what I came up with. I watch her face change as her fangs descend and she hovers over my neck. Her fangs pierce my skin as her fingers slip into my center. I hear fabric tear in my grip, and my whole body is vibrating, my legs feel like jelly and everything is spinning.

 

When I come back to the world Katherine is laying beside me, one leg tossed over mine casually as she traced patterns on my stomach with her fingernail, “let’s get you showered up. You have dirt in your hair from earlier and so do I. We may be vampires but we’re not pigs.” She drags me off of the bed and catches me when I stumble on unsteady legs, chuckling happily. In the shower she massages shampoo into my hair and I do the same for her. She washes my body and I wash hers, and afterwards we wrap in big fluffy towels and go downstairs.

 

“Elena, sit in the living room.” She orders. I hear her go into the kitchen and a few minutes later she hands me a mug full of blood, dropping down on the couch and tossing her long tan legs across my lap with her own mug of blood. I sip my nervously, watching her out of the corner of my eye. What did she expect from me? More of what happened tonight? Did she want to be with me…oh that was laughable. Was she using me to get to Stefan or Damon? Did she need to get my trust to sacrifice me for something? Maybe she just likes me? I certainly had a thing for her…

 

“I see the cogs turning in that pretty head of yours, what are you thinking about Elena?” she crosses her legs and the towel falls apart slightly, not enough for anything to be seen but enough for my mind to wander and my eyes to travel up her legs to the point where the towel meets itself.

 

“What do you want from me? Are you using me?” I ask tearing my eyes from her and staring into the red liquid in my cup.

 

“Yes.” She says bluntly.

 

“For what? Why?”

 

“My pleasure. Your pleasure. Because you’re letting me. Because I want to.” She shrugs her shoulders, “What’s wrong with wanting nothing more than sex from someone? We’re vampires; we don’t need to conform to societies standards anymore. I’ve lived through enough of them that I frankly don’t give a fuck.” She takes a sip from her cup.

 

“That’s all you want from me? Sex?” I inquire, trying to mask the hurt in my voice.

 

“Yes. What else could I want from you?” the words sting a bit and I force myself to drink from the cup like I don’t care, “Elena, I’ve lived hundreds of years, if you think I’d ever be looking for something more than sex you’re delusional.”

 

“And what about Stefan and Damon?” I counter, meeting her eyes with an angry glare.

 

“Gets me hot to mess with them, to think about fucking them both. One after the other, them fighting over me. It turns me on. Nothing more than that.” she sits up and sets her cup aside, “I’m not a relationship kinda girl, Elena. I’m the get my pleasure from incredibly attractive people and don’t give a shit about anyone.”

 

“That’s some shit.” I snorted, “You care.”

 

“Not about anyone but me.”

 

“Liar.” Her gaze went from light and happy to dark and murderous in a second, she grabbed my throat and pinned me up against the wall, knocking the couch over in the process, my towel falling off she was moving so fast. Her nails dug into the sensitive flesh around my throat as she glared at me.

 

I was so mad at myself for getting myself into this. I should have known better than to think Katherine wanted anything more than sex from me. Angry tears blurred my vision, but that didn’t matter. I kicked out, landing a blow to her rib cage with my knee. Her shock allowed me to bend her wrist back and pin her to the wall securely, my body pressed up against hers in a way that set me on fire.

 

“Fine then, get your clothes and get out. Don’t you dare come back here.” I let her go and she turns her head to look at me over her shoulder, a smirk playing on her lips.

 

“I don’t know who put it in your silly little head that I do what I’m told.” She stalked over to me; I backed up until my ankles hit the couch. She stepped up to me, put her hands on my hips and leaned in, kissing me slowly. And then she was gone and I was standing naked in my living room alone with my body on fire and my lips tingling. I grabbed her mug and finished mine on the way into the kitchen, tossing them into the sink angrily.

 

When I get to my room I peel the comforter I tore off and toss it on the floor, grab the spare one from the closet, pull on a pair of underwear and a shirt and crawl into my bed, burying my face in the pillow she’d been laying on. I could smell the faintest hint of her perfume. I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes with a heavy sigh, willing myself to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Katherine didn’t return during the next two days and I spent them cleaning my house from top to bottom, straight through the night. When I’d put the last bottle of cleaner away I found my phone and checked my messages as I went up the stairs to shower, the smell of cleaners in the house was buried just barely under the air freshener I’d sprayed, it burned my nose

I checked my phone; I had messages from Caroline, Bonnie and Damon. I replied to Damon’s, agreeing to meet him at the Grill in twenty minutes, and ignored Caroline’s shitty attempt at telling me that she doesn’t judge me for screwing up ‘because I clearly didn’t know what I was doing’.

But I knew what I was doing, I liked what I was doing, and no matter what I told Katherine I wanted to do it again. I don’t think for a second she tricked me into it, yes she did make me have a dream that flicked that switch in me, but if I had wanted to I could have easily sad no.

Bonnie’s message was similar to Caroline’s, but in a less bitchy way. Hers was secretly judgmental while Caroline’s was flat out judgmental. Neither of them understood that I didn’t make a mistake-I liked it. Sure it’s Katherine, and she’s bad and she’s killed people. But which of us haven’t? 

Damon’s killed, Stefan’s killed, Caroline’s killed, I’ve killed. Katherine’s list might be longer then mine, and maybe Damon’s, possibly Stefan’s, but I can’t judge her for something I know is hard to resist. She embraced what she became; she didn’t hide from it like the rest of us wanted to. I envied her in some ways. 

I tossed my phone onto my bed and stripped down, tossing my clothes into the hamper as I entered the bathroom. I turned on the water to warm it up and brushed my hair out in the mirror, it was getting long now. It touched the bottom of my ribcage, I usually cut it before it got that long, but today I just didn’t care. 

I stepped into the shower and massaged shampoo into my hair, rinsed it and put conditioner in my hair, while it soaked in I scrubbed until all I could smell was vanilla from the body wash and then I rinsed my skin and hair and shut off the water. I pushed the shower curtain aside and stepped out onto the rug, grabbing a towel from the closet, drying off my skin and my hair. I tossed the towel over the shower curtain rod and stepped into my room.

The window was open now; my curtains blowing in the breeze, Katherine’s perfume filled my room, the light lingering scent of Katherine everywhere. “She just can’t quit.” I complained to the empty room, stepping over to my dresser. I pulled out a pair of underwear and slid them on. I pulled out a matching bra and hooked it around my back. I checked phone and texted Damon I’d be there in fifteen and turned to walk into my bathroom.

When I turned around an envelope on my bed with six orange roses tied with a black ribbon, I picked up the envelope and opened it, slipping the card out, written in Katherine’s neat, curly, calligraphic handwriting was a simple phrase.

Road trip?

She signed her name with a flourish at the end. I slipped the card back into the envelope and absently tapped it against my finger. She wanted me to go on a road trip with her, but why? I picked up the roses and smiled softly, sitting down on my bed and smelling them. They smelled so good, as if she’d held them near her hair because I could smell her shampoo.

I tossed them aside quickly, jumping from the bed. Pinning over Katherine was not supposed to be my thing. That was a Salvatore thing no that was a Damon thing. I set the roses aside, I know Katherine was just trying to manipulate me to go on some road trip with her, and I was falling for it. 

I scowled and stormed over to my closet, shoving clothes around until I found a pair of jeans and black ankle boots, I pulled them on and walked over to my dresser and grabbed a black tank top and my pink sweater. I glanced back at the roses for a minute and shook my head, stepping into the bathroom. I brushed my hair out and grabbed my phone from the dresser before I left.

-

“She gave me roses, Damon.” I scowled into the scotch, “six stupid orange roses.” 

Damon smirked, tipping his glass back, “Orange roses indicate desire.” Damon comments off hand, “and six usually signifies a need to be loved. It’s just a road trip.”

“Thanks, that’s what I wanted to hear.” I complained under my breath, “It’s not like I can just pack up and go.” 

Damon signals for another shot, “Why can’t you? What’s keeping you here? Me? Stefan? Caroline? Everyone who’s judging you for that night?” He tips his glass back again, “I’d go.” He sets it down as the bartender, an old football player who gives me a flirty grin, sets his new drink down.

I ignored the look, my eyes going to Caroline who has appeared in front of Alaric’s seat, “Yeah, because you’re such a reputable source for advice.” Caroline’s voice scratched the inside of my skull, “we all get it, shit happens, we’re not judging you for a slip up.” She looks Damon up and down, “we’ve all had them.” 

“You enjoyed them.” Damon retorted smirking at her to get a rise out of her.

“You compelled me.” she replied indignantly.

“I compelled you not to freak when I fed on you, I did not compel you to have sex with me. That was all you, and you enjoyed the ride. Let’s face it, you wanted to make Elena jealous, you practically jumped at the chance to get with me.” Her eyes were murderous. I rolled my eyes, turning forward on the stool as the two of them bickered. I couldn’t help but think that right now I could be in a car with Katherine and not listening to them fighting, maybe I’d get to have some mind blowing sex before hand. It would be nice to get out of here.

“Will you two just shut up?” they both shut up, Caroline turning toward me with a shocked expression on her face, “You two are so aggravating. Just admit it Caroline, you slept with him and you enjoyed it, who wouldn’t? So what, it happened and now it’s over. Just get over it. Damon, thank you.” I lean over and hug him, kissing his cheek.

He half smiles at me, “You have fun now, and call me if you need rescuing, Elena.” I press a kiss against his cheek again before walking from the Grill. I called my house as I walked out, knowing she’d be there. 

She picked up on the second ring, “I knew you’d change your mind. Hurry home, little vampire.” Katherine’s voice purred over the phone before she hung up, I could picture her lounging on my couch with her legs sprawled out in front of her, a bag of blood in her hand. I slid my phone into my pocket and got back into my car, speeding off toward my house. Katherine was sitting on my couch sipping blood straight from a blood bag, as I predicted. My eyes ate up her long bare legs before meeting her eyes.

“What should I pack?” I’m suddenly very eager to get the hell out of here, to get away from everyone and everything. Just to be free for even a little bit.

“Clothes for a week.” She shrugs, “a mix of warm and cold clothes.” 

I nod and head upstairs, dragging my suitcase out. I threw my clothes into the suitcase as fast as I could, before I could talk myself out of going. Once they were all packed up I grabbed a jacket from my closet and went downstairs. 

Katherine had the cooler in her arms and the lightest stain of blood across her lips. The blood she’d consumed had gone to her cheeks giving her a nice pink blush. She doesn’t say anything to me as I pass her, holding open the front door for her. I lock it while she packs up her SUV with the cooler and one of my bags. I slide into the passenger seat and twist around to set my other bag in the backseat beside hers.

I don’t say anything as we drive past a people I know, we even pass Caroline and Tyler. Caroline looks angry, and when she spots the car she almost starts to chase us down, only stopped by Tyler who waves goodbye to me. I look down at my phone and find six texts from her telling me what an idiot I was for going anywhere with Katherine and that I needed help.

I scowled at the phone and texted her back three simple words: No I don’t. I threw my phone into the backseat after turning it off. Sure maybe going on a road trip to some unknown place with Katherine could be a bad idea, but it was my bad idea. Nobody forced me to do this, nobody told me to do it. I was doing it. And if something bad did happen, well I didn’t really care.

“Welcome to freedom, Elena.” Katherine said as she sped out of the town’s limits. I sighed, adjusting in my seat until I was comfortable, smiling. All of my responsibility was gone now. No more trustworthy Elena who did what everyone wanted, I could do whatever I pleased and nobody would stop me. I glanced over at Katherine who was smirking victoriously. 

Pushing myself out of the seat I leaned over and kissed her. She took one hand off the steering wheel and gripped the back of my neck, dragging me closer, I swiped my tongue across her lips, cleaning off the remaining blood, and then pulled away from her, sinking back into my seat. She hadn’t even swerved out of the lane.

A few hours later had me with my feet up on the dash leaning back watching Katherine singing a song I didn’t know the words to. Even if I didn’t know the words, I didn’t need to know them to know that whatever it was she was singing it held some deep meaning to her. She’d started to sing out of the blue fifteen minutes earlier, in Bulgarian.

The words sounded pretty and the notes sounded like something you’d see in those old movie beginnings where a mother was singing to her daughter in whatever language that land spoke, before they magically spoke English five minutes later.

It was nice to see Katherine like this. I’d imagine she was always this carefree person when she could be, which she didn’t have to worry about originals trying to kill her, or us trying to kill her. She never really got a chance to live, even with her long life. We weren’t too different in that respect. 

“I should be a little creeped out that you’re staring at me, but for some reason you make it seem pretty charming.” She tells me when she’s done, I smile at her and hide my face behind my hands, peeking out between my fingers like a child, “we’re going to stop for a fuel up and so I can make some arrangements.” 

We pull into the parking lot of a really shady looking motel, I look at Katherine and she’s digging through her wallet for something, “stay here.” She tells me, “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” She slips out of the car and walks up to the office. I know I’m not imagining the extra swing in her hips as she does.

She walks with such a presence, she demands your attention. Not in anything she says or purposely does, it’s just who she is. When she walks into a room she will have all eyes on her, that’s how she wants it and that’s how it is. As she gets closer to the office the people milling about outside start to notice her, but she doesn’t even spare them a glance. 

I can hear them talking about her. Things that embarrass me, how crass could someone be when talking about sex? I’d never heard such vulgar ways of talking about it, when Katherine comes back out the guy who’d been talking the loudest follows her. She grins and tips her head; she wants me to get out of the car. 

I take a deep, unnecessary, breath and open the door. The air outside is warm and muggy; it sticks to my legs and arms as I sweep my hair behind my ear, stepping away from the car and shutting the door. The guy falters when he sees me and then smirks, and I can probably guess what he’s thinking. I look at Katherine and lift an eyebrow, she just smiles.

The trunk opens and I walk toward it, Katherine coming around a second later. We grab our bags and she turns to the guy, “do you think you could help us carry this?” he nods his head and lifts it from the trunk, grunting slightly at the weight. Katherine starts off, heading toward our room. I shut the trunk and follow behind the pair slowly, wondering what it is Katherine was up to.

I shut the door behind me while Katherine has the guy set our cooler on a table I don’t think can actually take the weight, “thank you so much, I don’t think my sister and I could have gotten it here by ourselves.” She’s laying it on thick and I know what she’s going to do. I shoot her a look and shake my head; she shrugs at me, looking at him and then sighs.

“Not a problem.” She walks over and puts her arm on his shoulder.

“You will forget you saw us, you will go back to your motel room and sleep.” She opens the door and he goes on his way, when she shuts the door she raises an eyebrow at me, “so, why did you make me send dinner home?”

“I didn’t mean you had to let him go.” I tell her, shocked she’d actually done something I asked, “I just don’t want to do that. I almost killed Matt…” she blinks at me, “I just can’t do that, I’m not ready to kill someone.” 

“You’re going to kill someone eventually.” Katherine replies like it’s the most casual thing in the world, “but I understand, and since I’m in a good mood, I’ll just drink some lovely blood al a bag.” She pulls two bags out, and heats them in disposable cups. She carries them over to where I’m sitting on the rather nasty bed and hands me one, gulping hers as she circles the room. I drink mine slowly, watching Katherine set her cup down. She walks back across the room and digs in her bag, pulling out a hair brush. 

She sits on the end of the bed and brushes out her hair until it falls in nice, shiny, dark waves. I realize I’m staring at her, but I don’t care, and she doesn’t seem to care either. She gets up and walks to her bag, unzipping it and placing her brush inside. I tip my head to the side, admiring her legs. I finish my blood and set the cup aside.

“You know, instead of undressing me with your eyes, you could just undress me.” Katherine winks at me, it’s over done and the least sexual thing I’ve ever seen Katherine do, I laugh and walk over to her, putting my arms around her neck.

She raises an eyebrow at me and puts her hands on my hips, “or I can go in that bathroom and undress me.” I peck her lips and step away, “now where are you dragging me, Miss Pierce?” I run my finger across her collar bone, just because I can.

“Miss Gilbert, are you trying to seduce me?” Katherine purrs, leaning closer to me and kissing me briefly, and then she kisses me again and pulls me closer, her lips sliding across mine slowly, her nails digging into my skin above my jeans as she drags me backwards onto the bed. It smells like sweat and urine, “well nobody can seduce anyone in this.”

“No, not really.” I laughed, pushing my hair behind my ear; she smacked my ass and pushed me off of the bed, “so seriously, where are we going?” 

“We’re going on an adventure.” Katherine replies, “so since you ruined dinner and this motel smells like a homeless man died in it, maybe we should head out.”

“You know you can go get yourself dinner, I’ll wait here.” Katherine shrugs one shoulder and lifts the cooler, I pick up our bags and we walk out to the car. She goes to return our room key and the guy from earlier saunters up to me. 

“Hey baby, you looking for a good time tonight?” I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest, lifting an eyebrow at him as he walks over. He’s kind of hunched from holding his sagging pants up and his hair is greasy and disgusting, but beyond that I can smell the blood pumping through his veins rhythmically.

“I’m not interested.” I tell him, it doesn’t stop him and I didn’t think it would. 

“I don’t think your being honest, baby.” He murmurs, trying for seductive, and steps closer to me. I can feel his body heat and he reaches out to touch me.

“One finger touches me and your wrist breaks.” I warn, but he touches me anyways. Before I can grab his hand Katherine is there, snapping his wrist and slamming him up against the car beside me, fangs out.

“She told you ‘no’.” Katherine growled, and before I could blink she sunk her fangs into his neck and the smell of fresh blood slammed into my nose. She pulled away and wiped at her chin, glancing over at me and stepping away from him.

“Katherine I can’t I’ll kill-.”

“I’ll stop you. Come on.” My fangs ache and my stomach twists and everything inside of me is screaming at me to feed on him, but I can’t trust myself to stop if I start, but can I trust Katherine to stop me? The blood lust takes over.

I spin and sink my fangs into his neck; my hand over his mouth muffles his cries. His blood is like ambrosia. I push up against him and drink deeply, its so fucking delicious. I can feel that his heart is slowing down but I just want more. Katherine’s small hand wraps around my shoulder and she throws me across the parking lot, I shoot back up but she steps in front of me, puts an arm around my waist and grabs my chin in her hand.

“Now, now, that’s enough.” Katherine purrs, wiping my chin with her thumb, “come on, into the car. There’s wipes in the glove box.” she pulls the guy away and I slide into the passenger seat and clean up my face, finding that I also ruined my shirt. With a scowl I take it off and throw it into the backseat. 

I twist and grab my bag, digging through it to find something to put on. I don’t hear Katherine get in the car but her cold lips kiss my side and her fingers walk across my back, “you can just leave the shirt off.”

“You wish.” I tease.

“You’re going through my bag.” Katherine comments. I find a sweater within the bag. It was a long sleeved grey sweater with the shoulders ripped up. I pulled it on and sat back in my seat, smiling at her. She rolled her eyes at me and started the car while I put on my seatbelt. 

We drive straight through the next few towns, taking a nice scenic route, much like the people in horror movies, but it’s pleasant and in this movie Katherine and I are the monsters. I offer to drive but Katherine declines, claiming that we’re almost there. I sigh and sit back in my seat, watching the trees go by; we lost the radio about thirty minutes ago, so now it was just silence between us, which honestly isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

Soon we’re turning off the main road and onto a small dirt path up to a cute little area of cabins in the woods. Katherine pulls up outside a building labeled main office, “stay here for a few minutes.” And then she slips out and heads to the main building. She only takes five minutes and then she’s back in and drives to a cabin tucked into some trees. She parks beside it and opens the trunk, hoping out.

I follow her around to the back of the car and help carry our bags inside, the sun is already setting by the time we get our things put away, but I still go exploring outside, taking in the tiny garden outside and the lake I can see just a little ways away. The cabin is a cute little cabin with a kitchen a living room and a bedroom, made of some dark wood logs. It even had a deck. 

“Wanna go down to the lake?” Katherine asked. I nodded and she stepped out onto the deck, closed the sliding door and walked with me down to the lake. The pink and purple hues of the sky glittered against the water, and then the moon reflected across it. It was so pretty, “I knew you’d like it down here, nice little break from home. We’ll be here for a few days.”

“And then we’re going somewhere else?”

“Yep.” Katherine replied. We stood out by the lake for awhile, until the lights around the camp ground started to go out, then we wandered back up to the cabin and Katherine lit the fireplace while I curled up on the couch to watch the flames. So far this road trip was turning out to be a really good idea.


	4. Chapter 4

Katherine ambled off somewhere, to do god only knows what, leaving me alone. I got tired of just sitting on the couch so I wandered over to our bags, grabbed mine and wandered up to the shower, needing to get to suddenly overwhelming stench of that hotel room off of me.

Smartly I’d grabbed a few of my unopened shower gels from Bath and Body to put in my bag before we left, so I pulled those out and placed them in the shower, followed by my shampoo and conditioner, my hair pick and my tooth brush. Once I had everything laid out and I’d grabbed a towel from the linen closet I shut the door, not bothering to lock it, and shed what I was wearing. 

I folded the clothes neatly up on the counter and made a mental note to put them in the tote I had for my dirty clothes. I spun the knobs on the shower to a reasonable temperature, brushed out my hair and stepped into the shower. The shower head beat against my back pleasantly and massaged my scalp when I tipped my head underneath the water. I scrubbed up, laughing when I realized I’d managed to grab the same scent of shampoo and conditioner as my body wash without conscious thought.

Vanilla sugar filled the bathroom completely vaporizing any other smells on my body and now that I was clean I felt a million times better. I shut the water off once I was rinsed, dried my legs and arms and wrapped the towel around my chest. When I stepped out of the bathroom into the bedroom I found Katherine lounging on the bed in a silky black night gown with a book propped up on her chest, somehow she made even that look completely irresistible. 

Her eyes flickered toward me for a second before she looked back at the book. I shuffled over to my bag and lifted it onto the dresser, digging through it for a pair of underwear. Once I found a pair, at the bottom of my bag, I dropped the towel and pulled them on. I picked the towel up and dried off the ends of my hair as I walked back into the bathroom. I ran the pick through my hair, separating the tangles and let it hang down my back, I looked in the mirror and found Katherine had moved to lie on her stomach and watch me.

I grinned at her in the mirror and turned around; setting the pick down before I walked over to her. She sat up on her knees, the bed making her the same height as I was. I stepped up in front of her and cupped her face with one hand, leaning in and kissing her gently, I could taste blood on her lips. Fresh blood, but not human, “went for a hunt?” I ask, licking my lips happily.

“I did.” Katherine replied, draping her arms over my shoulders and locking her hands behind my neck, her fingers curling in the hair at the nape of my neck and tugging enough to call a dull pain. She leaned up and kissed me, gently capturing my bottom lip between her dull teeth, hard enough to hurt but not enough to draw blood. And suddenly the world spun, Katherine threw me on the bed and crawled over me to straddle my hips, holding me in place with a hand on my chest, “you smell divine.”

She leaned in and buried her face in my neck, kissing and biting softly, her hand on my chest trailed down to my breast, her icy fingers massaged my breast and toyed with my nipple as her hot mouth moved to claim the other, her warm tongue flicking across the hardened peak, my stomach tightened in anticipation, heating building between my legs. 

She shifted herself so her knee was settled between my legs and the other beside my hip, her hand rubbed me through my panties, the fabric causing a pleasant but strange sensation. She moved her mouth to my other breast and slipped her finger through the crotch of my underwear and gave them a hard yank down to my knees where I worked them down to my feet and kicked them off. 

Katherine sat up, pushing her hair back out of her face and smiled at me as she moved down the bed, holding me in place with her dark gaze as her head dipped between my legs. I watched as her tongue lapped at my center and circled around my clit, my body shuddered involuntarily. She closed her eyes and I closed mine as well, only for them to snap open when she suddenly disappeared, the cold nipping at my skin. 

I sat up, angry and aroused. She was no longer in the room. I stomped down the stairs, following the scent of her mango lotion down the stairs and out the door. I growled, watching her slip across the grounds, stopping by the lake. I spot her nightgown and a pair of red lace panties lying at the bottom of the stairs and I can feel her watching me, when I look up she dives into the water, a perfect dive that doesn’t make a splash.

I don’t hesitate to run across the grounds after her, diving into the water, I make a splash but not the same sized one she makes. The water is ice cold and attacks my skin like a million little needles, but it also feels really nice against my hot skin.. I break the surface and look for Katherine, but she finds me first, her slim arm wrapping around my waist as her fingers walk up the back of my thigh, trace my ass and then slip into my center. She holds me firmly against her chest as she thrusts her fingers in and out of me. My body shudders and spasms, but I manage to keep us afloat for awhile.

Luckily we don’t need to breathe because we both go under when she starts using her second hand and my body is tingling and on fire, my muscles beyond my control, my brain failing to comprehend anything but the movement of those fingers and the icy water. We both bob up and under and I suck in lungs full of water as I cry her name and clamp my legs around her hands, my vision turning white as Katherine sinks her fangs into my neck, my toes curl and my hands ball into fists, and I just can’t move, immobilized by the pleasure. 

Katherine somehow slips out of my vice grip and swims to the surface, I follow after her, coughing and spitting up the water, she’s over by the dock, grinning. I swim over to her, my feet finally reaching solid ground for long enough for me to get the rest of the water out of my lungs. I lock my eyes on her and interest sparks in her eyes. I push her against the leg of the dock and kiss her roughly, pushing my hand against her stomach to hold her in place. I break the kiss and brush her hair away from her neck, leaning in and biting softly at her skin, my fingers moving between her legs. I toy with her clit, earning a variety of gasps, moans and groans, slipping a finger inside her as my fangs descend. 

I sink my fangs into her neck and thrust my fingers roughly upward, curling them just enough to make her gasp. She grabs my shoulders and digs her nails into them, her feet leaving the floor of the lake as she wrapped one of her legs around hip, allowing me easier access to her center.

I drank deeply from her until I felt satisfied and pulled away, moving my fingers quickly, watching her face as she got closer and closer to her release, and right when she was about to go over the edge I pulled away, hauling myself onto the dock. Katherine growled in frustration, “I don’t think so little doppelganger, that’s not a fair game.” 

“Catch me if you can, Katherine.” I wink at her before taking off at top speed into the woods, my bare feet kicking up dirt, not caring where I was going only that she was following me. She followed me with little effort, finally catching up to me and pushing me up against a tree, face first. I turned to look at her out of one eye and grinned, she was furious, her cheeks a pleasant shade of pink, and her hair plastered to her skin, “you’re so sexy when you’re frustrated.” I tease, bark pulling my skin when she spins me around and shoves my back against the tree.

She kisses me roughly, her body pressing flat against mine. I wrapped my arms around her back and pulled her closer, spinning and pushing her up against the tree, dropping to my knees in front of her. I lifted one of her legs onto my shoulder and buried my face between her thighs, flicking my tongue over her clit before sucking it between my lips, rolling them over it. She moaned and her leg started to shake, I lifted it up over my shoulder, she hissed as her back scraped up the tree and I smelled her blood. She twisted her fingers in my hair as I licked at her center.

Her legs quivered around my head and her nails scraped my scalp as I held her steady with my hands on her hips. I’d never gotten her off with just my mouth before, so I wasn’t sure if what I was doing was right, but the way she sounded I was doing something right. I ran my tongue up her center and slipped it inside as far as I could, earning a sharp gasp from Katherine who tried to press her thighs together through my head. I grinned and curled my tongue, dragging it across the top of her wall and out, planting a kiss against her center.

Her entire body was quivering and I knew there was only one thing I had to do to push her over the top. I exhaled and she whimpered, her entire body tensing as I leaned forward, sucking her clit between my lips and flicking my tongue across it rapidly, four times. Katherine growled and her entire body clenched as her back arched and I heard bark scratch against her shoulders and bits flaked off, falling at my knees. She still had a grip on my hair, but gradually she loosened her grip, and I pushed one leg off my shoulders, followed by the other and stood up. Her fingers fell from my hair and I brushed my knees off before looking at her.

“You learn fast.” She pants, sagging against the tree.

“Turn around.” I said, spinning my finger through the air for emphasis. She did as I said and I brushed her hair from her back, wiped away the bits of bark from her back, licked closed two wounds and pressed my self against her back, hugging her around the stomach, “don’t you ever do that to me again, Pierce.”

“No promises, Gilbert.” She said it with a laugh and I stepped away from her. She spun and smiled at me. A real smile, a dazzling smile, I smiled back and it turned into laughing. True, from the belly, hearty laughing. Katherine took my hand and we walked back to the cabin. My cheeks hurt from smiling so hard and my body felt weightless, like I was still floating in the lake. 

We stopped to pick up her clothes and continued inside, hoping in the shower and washing the lake water and dirt from our bodies. Katherine brought in her soap and the smell of Vanilla and Sensual Amber mixed well together, surprisingly, as we separately scrubbed up. Once we were rinsed we toweled off and stood side by side. I blew my hair out straight and watched Katherine blow hers into big bouncy curls before we crawled into the bed. I lay on my stomach beside her, watching her face as she reads her book. She’s very expressive when she’s not trying to hide it.

Watching her soon grew boring, “What are you reading?” I asked. She looked away from the book and flipped it over to show me the cover. It said Dirty Martini, “You’re reading about a drink?”

“It’s a series of books about a homicide detective. Pretty graphic, even for me, but I like the books.” I leaned over and read the description. A cop with the name Jack Daniels, Jacqueline appeared to be her first name, was dealing with her fourth serial killer who is poisoning the city’s food supply and dealing with boyfriend trouble, “I have the first one in my bag, Whiskey Sour.” Katherine points in the general direction of the bag.

I looked where she pointed and found it a few feet away. Not feeling like getting up I spun on my stomach and walked with my hands over to the bag, hooking a finger through a strap and dragging it over. I dug through the bag for a few minutes, pushing aside clothes and makeup, until I found the book. I held it in one hand and pushed myself back onto the bed with the other, when I almost slipped Katherine grabbed the back of my thigh and dragged me back onto the bed.

“Wouldn’t it have just been easier to get up and walk over there? Not that I didn’t enjoy the view.” Katherine winked at me. 

“Maybe.” I replied, reading the back of the book. It seemed interesting enough, so I flipped it open and started reading. When morning came we were redressed and sat outside drinking bagged blood in coffee mugs and watched the sun rise, the book sat on my lap but I was too engrossed in the pretty sight before me. I’d seen a sunrise with Stefan, but it didn’t feel like this one did. This one made me feel safe, it made me feel free, and light. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it.

A lot of the other cabin goers were out, and soon Katherine was dragging me off to some weird activity. We mingled with others around, I met a girl here with her family who wanted to be anywhere else, and since her family was a family of four when we went into the canoes she was loaded in with Katherine and me. Her name was Angela, she was nice and kept the ride interesting by pointing out various animals and telling us about them, eventually her and Katherine started competing to find them the quickest and state the most facts.

I just kept rowing, enjoying their competition and keeping a silent score, “so how come you two are out here together? It’s not everyday you see sisters just coming on vacation alone.” She sounds like she wanted to ask something else, like she’s fishing for information.

I look at Katherine who shrugs one shoulder, “getting away from the boyfriends for a week, Stefan and Damon can just get so competitive some times, trying to be the better boyfriends.” She rolls her eyes like it’s the silliest thing she’d ever heard and slyly winks at me. 

“It’s nice that you two are so close.” I chuckle to myself, Katherine and I are a lot closer than she knows, “so were you turned at the same time?” she asked casually, as if she was asking if we noticed the sun was in the sky.

I almost dropped the oars as I snapped around to face her, “what?”

“You’re vampires, were you two turned together?” her eyebrows pull together in confusion and I can tell she hopes she wasn’t wrong about us being vampires.

I stared at her for a long time but I couldn’t figure out what she was so I just asked, “what are you?”

“Family of wolves.” She nods toward her parents and brother, they’re too far away for even their wolf hearing to pick up and completely absorbed in something in the water, “I’ve never triggered the curse, though. So turned at the same time?”

“No.” Katherine replies as she mutters something under her breath in what as probably Bulgarian. Good job idiot, now she’ll know who we are. I glare at Katherine for a second before I turn back to Angela.

Angela’s eyes widen in shock and she grins dropping her voice down to an almost silent whisper and hisses “you’re the doppelgangers!” she looks between us, “holy shit, that is so cool.”

“Shh.” Katherine hisses, “don’t tell anyone.”

“I wont, I wont.” She promises beaming, “so why are you two really out here?”

“Like she said, getting away from the boyfriends, they’re really annoying and over protective.” I answered turning back around to watch where I was moving the canoe, “how did you know we were vampires?” 

“I saw you two running through the woods last night.” I was glad I was facing Katherine when she said that, because my face would probably have been pretty embarrassing. Katherine suddenly leaned over and looked into the edge of the trees, “look! A gator!” Angela’s attention was redirected to the gator and she peered into the trees, she was having trouble seeing the gator, but with my nice vampire vision I could see him easily. 

“Between the two awkward trees.” She finally grins when she sees it as we turn the canoe around and start heading back. Angela doesn’t say anything else about vampires or werewolves, and when we all go to lunch we end up at a bench with her family. Katherine seems completely unphased by their presence, but I guess spending most of her life running from the original wolf himself these guys were nothing.

After lunch most of the cabin goers get into the lake and swim around, but Katherine and I find some nice grass and sit down to watch them, “so we’re leaving, huh?” I ask, she nods her head without looking at me, “such a shame, I was having so much fun.” 

I sigh and lie back in the grass, enjoying the way the sun soaks into my skin and heats me up, though everyone once in awhile I spin my ring, just to make sure it’s still there and protecting me from a fire-y death. When the sun starts to go down Katherine fakes a stomachache so we can slip away from the group. We pack up what little we’d unpacked and wait for everyone to go back into their cabins before we pack up the car and drive off, stopping to set the key on the front desk.

I close my eyes, hoping to maybe get a few hours of rest, and Katherine starts to sing again. I lay still and listen happily, her voice is like silk. This is something we don’t share, I couldn’t sing to save my life, but she sounded heavenly. 

When I rejoined the land of the conscious we were on a lonely dirt road. Katherine had the all windows down and warm sticky air was filling the car. It was bright out, so much so that I had to squint and then make sure I still had on my day light ring. I shook my head to clear the fog of sleep.

“We’re in Florida.” Katherine answered my unasked question.

I had no response so I just watched the farmlands and horses roll by. Eventually Katherine turned left onto a little dirt path stopped the car and got out and back in quickly, she drove through the gate and then repeated the process. “I have a ranch.” She stated. We drove for maybe another minute through some tress and broke into a clearing and up onto a paved driveway up to a three car garage.

I expected the ranch to be this run down shabby place; instead I found an immaculate house, completely clean with neatly trimmed hedges. The house itself was grey with a large porch out front, complete with two rocking chairs and a swing bench. Katherine led us across a red brick path up to the white porch steps. The door opens when we get there and a blonde woman and an older man come out, pause and look between us. 

After a moment they turned to Katherine, “Welcome back, Katerina.” Ella greeted, she paused and invited me into the house and then the pair walked off. I followed their path to a barn that opened into a fenced off area containing a few horses. Katherine led me through the house, staring her tour into the kitchen-a large spotless bright room with six large windows and the best equipment, there was a small batch of dishes in a rack drying.

Then Katherine led me up the stairs and went to the end of that hall, “this is mostly where the humans reside, but this is the living room.” Next to the doorway there was a sign that said “murtuo staya”. Katherine told me it meant ‘dead room’. 

The living room was homey and open with a large brown couch, a matching love seat and two recliners angled at a flat screen mounted to a chimney, “where’s the fire place at?”

“In the library.” She showed me to the game room next. It was well used and looked like a disaster zone, a well used area, “the rest of the rooms as bedrooms. I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping. I hope you don’t mind sleeping with me.” 

“Gross. I would never.” I teased, hooking my arms around her waist and waddle after her down the stairs, to our right and to a door at the end of the hall. Her name was written on printer paper in pretty and elaborate font. There were butterflies, vines and other decorations. Some looked like they were drawn by an adult, others by a child. She pushed the door inward and dragged me in behind her, holding my arms around her waist for a moment. 

“So this is where you always are, close enough to pop in from time to time, far enough to be safely away from Klaus.” She doesn’t comment, instead she breaks my grip and walks over to the window, pushing the curtain aside and opening the window. Fresh air fills the room and enough light to let me fully take in everything.

Her bed is made tight enough to bounce a coin off of, the black comforter folded back and the pillows stacked neatly near the head of the bed in their red satin cases. Her walls were so dark I almost didn’t realize they were purple, her carpet was black. Her headboard, dresser and vanity were made of dark wood. Her room wasn’t as country home as the rest of the house, but I felt surrounded by the night, in my element.

A timid knock against the door nearly made me jump, I turned to see a blonde boy standing there with our bags, “next to the bed, Collin, thank you for bringing them in.” 

“Of course, Miss Petrova.” He smiles and nervously exits the room. I could stay here forever.

“How long will we stay here?” I ask, not really wanting to know the answer. If we stayed here forever I’d be happy and in heaven. 

“Until we get restless.” She answered, “for now I want to explore, see what’s going on around here.” We explored her house, she showed me the library which I planned to explore in depth at another time. We walked through the woods to her left and she checked out her gardens before she headed toward the barn. I followed after her, enjoying the feeling of the sun on my skin and the fresh air.


	5. Chapter 5

Eventually we ambled out to the barn where she grabbed a saddle and some other equipment that I couldn’t possibly know the name of, “can you ride?” she asked, leading me through the barn to the gate of the pen for the horses. She draped the saddle over the fence and made a weird clicking noise with her tongue and a dark horse walked up to her.

She murmured under her breath, the words were foreign. She looked so happy. She beckoned me over with a finger, “I’ve never ridden.” I finally answered her question, nervously stepping up to the horse.

“Have you ever been near a horse?” I shake my head no, “I forgot how young you are. When I was still human everyone had horses. It was like having a car or a cell phone. This is Andon; you’ll learn to ride on him. Come here.” Her fingers circled my wrist and she dragged me forward, standing behind me and wrapping her arm around my waist.

She took my hand with hers and held it out to the horse who sniffed my hand and then she had me slowly pet his snout and between his eyes. He was softer than I thought a horse would be Katherine slipped away while I pet Andon. She draped a blanket over his back and hooked up the saddle and bridle. As she did she told me what everything was. 

“Okay, come on Elena.” She dragged me over to the side of the horse and helped me mount, doing a suspicious amount of ass grabbing when trying to help me swing my leg over without tumbling off the other side of the horse. Once I was up she held the reins and led the horse around, telling me to move up and down with the rhythm of the horse, and soon she had us moving at a trot, explaining how being a vampire made her able to run beside the horse so she didn’t have to worry about the horse going to fast and me falling off.

Once I got control of riding she taught me how to direct the horse to do what I wanted and then she got another horse, put all of it’s gear on and led both horses, and me, out of the barn and over to a small path big enough for four horses. She mounted the horse and led us onto the path through some large trees; the shade was a nice change from the burning sun. Riding was relaxing and fun, but riding in silence made my mind buzz with unasked questions, I never liked silence.

“Why do you go by Petrova? Why let them know who you really are?” 

She sighed unnecessarily, turning to face me for a moment before turning back around and watching the path ahead of us, “I was forced to give up my baby a long time ago and then I was forced to leave my family.” She pauses and I can see her biting her lip to keep from tearing up, I’ve never seen Katherine so emotional, “but being here out here I can have that again. I met Ella, the blonde woman, when she was about 18. She was pregnant like me, and abandoned like me.

I brought her to live with me, paid for her hospital expenses and in return she keeps the house safe from others and keeps the barn running. Collin is her son. I know they’re not my real family but they’re the closest I’m going to get to having my family back, to just feeling like part of a family.” 

“So they don’t know Katherine Pierce, big badass takes-no-one’s-shit vampire, they know sweet little innocent girl Katerina Petrova.” I mocked the accent I’ve heard people say her name in, it made her smile and I smile at her. 

“The actually know about everything, it’s not every day I find people I can trust. It’s just here I don’t have to worry about Klaus trying to kill me or needing to manipulate people. I can just be me, which is just about the greatest thing in the world for a girl who didn’t get her own life.” She stared down at the horse and gently stroked its mane with a far away look on her face.

“Well luckily Klaus has his mind on Caroline and Tyler so you’re pretty safe.” I commented.

“He’s a worry for another day, anyways.” She shrugged and we fall back into silence, riding for another hour, turning around when the sun was low in the sky. We’d gotten out to the stables around 4:30 so my guess was 7 by the time we got back to the stables. Katherine showed me how to undo the equipment and shooed Ella away to teach me how to feed the horses. After they ate we put them in for the night, she had a total of five horses. I don’t remember all their names. 

When we go inside I headed straight for her bathroom, showering and changing into something to sleep in. When I come out of the bathroom Katherine stepped in and I stretched out on her bed and pick up the book again, flipping to the page I was on. I heard the door to the bathroom open, but I was too engrossed in the book to pay any attention to her until I felt her weight on my back and her slender fingers started to massage my shoulders.

“Katherine, what are you doing?” I groan, losing focus on the book. 

“Rubbing your shoulders.” She brushed my hair over one side and continued to massage my shoulders and my neck, and then my back, by the time she moved down my legs to my feet I was a gooey puddle on her bed, “there now we’re relaxed.” She rolls onto the bed beside me, toying with the ends of her hair.

I roll over and lay half on top of her, kissing her slowly. The feeling of my lips sliding over mine is like fire burning through my veins. Her lips are like warm vanilla, sliding across mine in a lazy manor. Her tongue traced my lips and her hand slipped down my body, grabbed my thigh and pulled me up closer to her so I was lying across her soft body. Her tongue was like silk as it slid across mine and she cups my face with her hand and strokes my skin with her finger tips before they bury in my hair and massage my scalp, I groan against her mouth and pull away slowly, resting my forehead against hers.

Her lashes tickled my eyebrows, and when I opened my eyes I was staring into her dark gaze, I smiled and kissed her again quickly, “thank you for all of this.” I lightly brush her hair away from her face, tracing her bone structure with my finger tips. Her skin is like silk and she smells like honey tonight, I kissed her again, because I could and then I giggled.

She reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear, her fingers lingering, “do you want some hot chocolate? I want some.” She murmured, leaning up and kissing me before hooking her leg under my arm and scooping me up, in a blur we were in the kitchen, Katherine set me on the counter and went to the fridge, her silk robe floating around her as she moved about, soon she had two cups in her microwave and it was humming as it warmed the concoction. 

When she handed it to me it was steaming and smelled like chocolate and marshmallow. I took a giant sip and winced at the scalding heat on my tongue. When I pulled the mug away I could feel the marshmallow sticking to my upper lip, Katherine leaned forward, planted her hands beside my hips and licked the marshmallow from my lip, which turned into a rough kiss that had me burying my hands in her hair and digging my nails into her scalp. It made her moan into the kiss and I grinned against her lips, “I love the hot chocolate, thanks.” I whispered.

“Anytime, little vampire.” She leans over and grabs her cup, taking a sip from it with a coy little grin on her face. I picked up my cup and took a quick sip, sucking a sticky marshmallow into my mouth with it, it stuck to my mouth but it was so delicious. I haven’t had marshmallows in so long. When we finished our drinks we went back into Katherine’s room where we both picked up our books and started reading. That was how we spent our days at the ranch house, riding horses, reading books, making out. It was comfortable and I would love to never leave if I had the choice. 

It was a pleasant morning for me, the same as it always was. I got up way before Katherine even thought about getting out of bed, I showered dried off and pulled on a pair of jean shorts, a blue tank top and my converse. The sun was just coming up as I stepped into the kitchen. Collin and Ella were just coming in at the same time.

“Good morning, Elena.” Ella greeted, “would you like some food? I was thinking about making pancakes.”

“I can make some.” I offered, “I haven’t made them in a long time but everyone always said mine were the best in our circle of friends.” 

“Are you sure I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you.” 

“Of course, I don’t mind.” I started moving around the kitchen to gather all of the ingredients for the pancakes. It didn’t take me long to mix together the ingredients and heat the griddle. Ella made coffee and handed me a mug, setting another on the counter for Katherine while I poured the batter onto the griddle. 

Katherine came out a few minutes later, grabbed her coffee cup and leaned over my shoulder to see what I was cooking, and then she wandered over to the table with Ella and Collin. I finished up the pancakes and stacked them on a plate and shut off the griddle. I took a seat next to Katherine and passed out the pancakes, Katherine and I each had one with just butter on it. Collin used sorghum, something I haven’t had since my parents were alive, and Ella had syrup. After we finished Collin cleaned up while Katherine and I went back to her room.

“So tonight I was thinking we could go to a club, we need you to practice being around humans that aren’t my vervained staff.” She opened her closet doors and moved deep inside.

“Why a club?”

“Lots of sweaty drunk prey, and dancing.” Katherine grinned at me, flipping through racks of clothing.

“Why do you look like you’re getting ready to drag me out there now?” 

“Oh we’re not going now, but we’re going into town. I need my hair trimmed and I’ve got to pick up some horse stuff.” She dragged out a pair of jeans, ankle boots, a tank top and then steps into the bathroom. I took that as my cue to get ready and pulled on a pair of jeans, my own ankle boots and grabbed a pink tank top. I ran a brush through my hair, which lay limply around my head, and sat down on her bed and pulled out my phone. 

I had more texts, mostly from Caroline which I ignored, and two missed phone calls from Damon. I was about to check them when Katherine came out, shrugging on her leather jacket and pulling her hair free from it, “ready to go?” I nod and pocket my phone, standing and following her out the door. We stopped at the nearest pet store, a huge place that sold non-average pet needs. Once she had every thing she needed packed into her car we went to a salon.

“Katherine! It’s lovely to see you again.” A blonde woman greeted, her smile faltering momentarily as she eyed me, “I didn’t know you had a twin sister.”

Katherine shot me a sideways look, “we weren’t on the best terms until recently. Elena, this is Natalie, my hairdresser, Natalie, this is Elena.” I reached out and shook her hand, she smiled at me warmly and ushered us inside. Katherine told her what she wanted done to her hair and I sat in a nearby empty chair while Katherine got her hair washed. I could hear her idly chatting with Natalie in the back, but tuned her out as I flipped through a magazine. 

A bell rang over the door and then an unsure voice called out, “Katherine?” I looked up in the mirror. He had short and spiky black hair, obviously dyed, and blue eyes lined with black, he was staring at me quizzically, as if he wasn’t quite sure I was Katherine.

“No, I’m Elena. Katherine’s sister.” I informed him, he blinked and then smiled.

“Well it’s a fabulous to meet you, my name is James.” And he moved toward the back without another word. I heard him whispering in the back with the other two and then he reappeared, “were you interested in doing something with your hair? It’s such lovely hair, it’s a shame it’s just laying flat.”

I considered snapping at him for insulting my hair but he had a good point, “I’m not sure, I’ve never really had anything done to my hair before.” I glanced at him, “do you have any ideas?” he nodded and told me his plan and, since he had no customers, he set to work. Katherine was done before I was and told me she’d be back in a few minutes, leaving me with James and Natalie. James dried my hair and curled the front of my hair, I turned to the mirror and smiled at my reflection, “I love it, the pink highlights look a lot better than I thought they would.”

“I know. It is my job.” James stated smugly.

“How much?” I asked, reaching for my wallet.

“Katherine already paid.” He replied, putting away his hair dryer. I stood up and smiled, thanking him and walking toward the door. As I stepped out of the shop Katherine was coming out of one across the street, she had a bag slung over her arm and her hair bounced around her head in her usual perfect curls. She flashed a smile in my direction and walked quickly across the street to her car. She tossed her newest purchase in while I got into the passenger seat.

“I love the hair, Elena.” She starts the car and pulls out of her spot, we lounge around the house reading for the rest of the afternoon and at 730 Katherine forces me to get dressed. I find a red flowered dress, some black stockings and my favorite ankle boots and get dressed in the bathroom, fixing my hair with her curling iron. When I step out of the bathroom Katherine is standing in front of the closet in a bra and underwear.

I leaned on the door jam and watched her, she shifted from foot to foot, occasionally pulling down a dress, examining and putting it back. She moved like she was made of liquid, and not bones, all of her movements were fluid, “you know you could just go like that.” I commented.

She turned around and rolled her eyes, “no, I can’t.” 

“Try some jeans or something. I’ll be waiting in the kitchen.”

“Am I that repulsive?” she teased.

“No, but we might actually leave if I’m not standing here trying to restrain from jumping you.” I pushed away from the wall and walked out of the room. Collin was in the kitchen making himself a sandwich, he jumped when he spotted me, “sorry, I need to work on walking louder.”

“Don’t worry about it, I should be used to it after all this time.” He chuckled nervously.

“I’m not going to try and hurt you.” I commented off hand, “I promise.” 

“Not worried about that, either, it’s been a long day.” He mumbled, shuffling away. Something about him reminded me of Jeremy, all I wanted to do is see him again. I’m feeling a little bit homesick. I pick up my phone from the counter and finally check my texts from Damon. He sent me one, asking if I was going to go to graduation, and another to let me know that Jeremy didn’t feel an uncontrollable urge to kill me anymore.

That was good news. I texted him that I’d be back for graduation, and not even a minute later he was calling me, “calling to make sure I’m not Katherine?” I teased, grinning happily.

“Yes, actually, you might trust her but she’s still a devious bitch.” His words are harsh but he says them with a light tone.

“I am not that devious.” Katherine calls, I turn to face her and she’s standing by the front door in a pair of tight jeans, a purple shirt that has a tank top under it and lace over it and her leather jacket, “hang up, we’ve got some humans to massacre.”

“Sounds about right.” Damon teased on the phone. 

“Tick tock Damon, Elena’s mine right now.” Katherine called out.

“Would you two like to talk?” I asked, Katherine rolled her eyes and walked out of the house. I followed after her, “I’ll call you tomorrow, Damon.” I promised.

“Try not to kill too many people.” He replied, I could practically see the smirk that was surely on his face.

“Yes, sir.” I joked, hanging up the phone and slipping it into my jacket pocket. Katherine is waiting by a different car this time, an older Camero. When I opened the door the smell of the car hits me hard, it smells like old car, leather, and Katherine’s perfume. I sunk into the passenger seat and pulled the door closed as Katherine got into the drivers seat. 

The club was a dark place with a disgusting vibe, the people in it were stumbling messes and it was barely eight, but Katherine forced me to go in anyways, and soon we were on the dance floor dancing with a guy who was somewhat more decent than the other people in this club. Over the music I heard Katherine compelling him to follow us and I followed them into the women’s restroom.

“Out.” Katherine barked at the couple getting it on in the sink. The guy quickly scrambled to get his jeans back on while the girl scrambled out of the sink and out the door, a pair of underwear lay discarded on the floor and I’m pretty sure they were hers. Once they were gone Katherine shut and locked the door and sauntered up to the guy, “do not scream.”

“Katherine, what are we doing?” 

“Teaching you some control, come’re.” she crooked her finger at me. I stepped up to her and looked at the guy and then back at her, “feed on him, I’ll make sure you don’t kill him.” I looked over at the guy nervously and then back to Katherine again.

“I-I just…” I wasn’t sure I could handle feeding, I hadn’t eaten anything but bagged blood and that was two days ago, I could kill him. 

“Do you trust me, Elena?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow in question.

I stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out exactly how much I trusted her, and then I turned back to the man who looked confused and a little more than drunk, “Yes, I trust you.” I stepped up to him and felt my fangs come down. They hurt more than a little, ripping my gums as my vision zeroed in on his pulse, I leaned in and grabbed his head, tilting it aside and sinking my fangs into his neck.

His blood was a little strange, possibly due to the fact that he was drunk, but it was still delicious, warm, and fresh from the vein. Something inside me wanted to rip his throat out and drain him dry, I dug my nails into his shoulders and took stronger pulls of his blood, “Elena, feel his pulse.” Katherine demanded. It took me a few minutes, but I could feel the racing beat of his heart, “as it slows you need to stop or you will kill him.” It beat against my fingers, my skull, but I wasn’t sure as the frantic beating slowed that I’d be able to stop. 

I dug my nails into his shoulders, told myself I needed to stop, but I just couldn’t. I needed more; I needed it all, “Elena, it’s slowing down.” Katherine said in a sing song voice. That was enough to make me throw myself away from him, I hit a stall hard and the structure cracked behind my back. The scent of his blood was strong, swimming around my head like sweet nectar. I caught myself in the mirror; my eyes were blood red, my chin covered in his blood, the veins around my eyes crawling down my face. I exhaled slowly and closed my eyes, leaning my head against the bathroom stall until my fangs retracted and the scent wasn’t as strong.

When I opened my eyes Katherine was wiping the blood off of his neck, the wounds were closed, and she was whispering in his ear. When she was done she threw me a new paper towel and led him out of the bathroom. I cleaned up my face and took a few calming breaths before I reentered the mass of people. I found Katherine leaning up against the bar with a beer in one hand and another tipped up to her lips. 

She handed me the other beer and leaned her back against the bar, “you did good.”

“I wanted to finish him.” I take a swig of the beer and wince; it tastes like hell, “I want to go back to Mystic Falls for graduation, and to see Jeremy. Damon says he’s over his ‘kill Elena’ problem.” 

“When’s graduation?” 

“In three weeks,” I answered, “Can we head back tonight? I really want to see Jeremy.”

“Sure, let’s head back now then, we came and accomplished what I wanted to, anyways.” She finished off her beer and then finished off mine before she took my hand and dragged me out of the bar toward the car.


	6. Chapter 6

I wasn't as excited as I could have been about going home, sure I was excited to see Damon again, and see Jeremy and Matt too, but the thought of seeing Caroline, Stefan and Bonnie again made me frown when we passed the 'Welcome to Mystic Falls' sign, "Cheer up, cupcake. Graduation is exciting, even if your friends are being massive bitches, or so I've heard."

"Maybe you should walk for me then." I joked.

"Yeah, I'll get right on that. I'm pretty good at being you." She winks at me, I sigh and pull out my phone, I text Damon that we're almost back but he texts me in a hurry to tell me to go to my house because Caroline and Stefan were camping out at the Salvatore mansion waiting to perform an intervention.

"Head to my house." I told her, texting a quick thanks for the heads up, he replied that he'd see us soon since he'd been hanging around the house. She slammed on the breaks and almost missed the turn to head toward my house. When we pulled up I suddenly wanted to hop in the drivers seat and speed back out of town, and then Damon and Jeremy opened the front door.

I was out of the door faster than I'd ever moved; I grabbed Jeremy in a tight hug. I probably would have crushed him had circumstances been different, but instead he just hugged me back with every bit of muscle he had. We started talking as soon as we pulled apart and I followed Jeremy inside, leaving Katherine and Damon to unload the car. Jeremy dragged me to the couch-after clearing off the remote controls from our X-Box.

He told me about the Klaus drama, and the Caroline drama, and the every day school drama. I told him about some of the places we'd visited and about learning to ride the horses, by the time we stopped talking Jeremy was talking about being hungry and went into the kitchen, I followed him in and we found Katherine and Damon sipping something wine colored from wine glasses.

"Looks like they're done chatting away." Damon commented when we stepped into the kitchen.

"Shut up."

"So scary Gilbert." Damon joked, my brother elbowed him and Damon stumbled a bit, a smile on his face, Jeremy busied himself inside the fridge and Katherine passed me her wine glass, I took a large sip of it and the blood settled like warm dinner in the bottom of my stomach. I passed it back to her and leaned against the counter.

"So you have to go down and sign for your cap and gown and take your final exams." Jeremy told me around a mouthful of pizza, "our aunt Helen's husband died and she was having a rough time so you went to take care of him."

"That's going to be a fun time." I groaned, "I guess I should call and find out when I can come in to take them." I hung my head and frowned at the counter, I just wanted to graduate and leave again, I didn't want to take tests and go back to the school.

"I'll call for you." Katherine stated, picking up my cell phone, Jeremy rattled off the number and Katherine wandered out onto the front porch.

"So what inspired the new hair?" Damon asked, sipping from his cup of blood.

"I was at Katherine's hair salon and someone called my hair flat and boring. So he fixed it. I like it." I twirled a pink strand around my finger aimlessly.

"It looks good." Damon commented. Jeremy grunted in what I think was agreement as he wandered back into the living room; I heard the video game start up and then loud gun shots, "how was the trip with Katherine?"

"It was really nice, relaxing. She's been helping me learn to control myself when feeding. Still not that great at it." I pick up the glass she discarded and finish off the blood, "but I'm getting there."

"You look happy." Damon observed, "I haven't seen you this happy since before us."

"I've been happy since I've meet you guys, I was happy with you. I was even happy with Stefan, and I was happy without him." Damon raised an eyebrow; clearly he doubted that I really was happy with him. I scowled and walked around the counter, wrapping my arms around his waist and hugging him. He wrapped his arms around me and smiled, I felt so comfortable like this.

"I'm glad you're happy, Elena." He kissed the top of my head, "come watch me kick your brothers ass." I laughed and hooked my arm around his back, walking out into the living room with him.

"I can literally kick your ass, vampire boy, what makes you think you can take me at a game I've been playing for five years?"

"I've had a lot of down time in my life." Damon replied. I took a seat in the recliner next to the couch. I used to watch Matt and my brother play this game all of the time, there was usually only a light competition between the two, but this was a new level of competitive, I'd never seen either of them so focused on something in my life.

"What are these two doing?" Katherine asked when she came back in, after scanning the room she shrugged and dropped into my lap, handing me my phone as she draped across me, neither of the boys looked up, "I wonder if they'd look up if we started making out?" Katherine whispered, twirling a piece of my hair around her finger.

"I would." Damon offered up, "but don't scar poor little Jeremy with that, imagine how he'd feel watching his sister make out with herself?"

"It'd be awkward, don't do it." Jeremy agreed, neither looked away from the TV. I rolled my eyes and gave Katherine a quick kiss before I returned my attention to the game. Katherine eventually got up and sat at Jeremy's side, muttering tips to him and occasionally taking the controller and doing something that always made Damon angry. Eventually Jeremy gave her the controller, happy to watch someone beat Damon for once.

After an hour of watching them restart the game and go after each other I finally got up and went into the kitchen to get some more blood, Jeremy followed me and grabbed a piece of cold pizza from the fridge, "Caroline and Bonnie have good intentions, after all Katherine hasn't been the best thing for them."

"I know, she really wasn't even the best thing to happen to any of us." I looked out to the living room where she's smacking Damon in the arm, "but she was trying to keep herself alive, she's really not so bad when she's not."

"I can see that. But they haven't. She turned Caroline into a vampire."

"I admit that was a bitchy move, but the cheerleader seemed pretty happy with her current situation, last I checked." Katherine voiced from the living room, I rolled my eyes. Katherine was right though, Caroline loved being a vampire. There was a knock at the door and dread set in, "speaking of the cheerleader…"

"I'll be back." I groaned, taking the glass of blood with me. Bonnie was standing on the other side of the door, "Where's Caroline?"

"Brooding with Stefan." Bonnie replied, "I'm not going to pretend I get it, but you're a good judge of character, so if you trust her I will too. I missed you." I smiled and stepped back so she could come inside, she hugged me as soon as she was inside, nearly spilling my glass on her back, "I'm so glad you're back graduation wouldn't be the same without you."

"I wouldn't want to miss it." Bonnie and I wandered up to my room and she filled me in on the latest drama with Caroline, Rebekah and Klaus. A knock on the door interrupted us an hour later, Katherine opened the door.

"I'm going to go get your graduation things; I'll see you in a bit." She stared at me for a few moments, as if trying to decide something, and then she stepped into the room and over to the bed, leaning down and kissing me slowly but briefly, and then she stepped away and left the room, smirking.

"That's going to take some getting used to." Bonnie mumbled, "What's she going to get for you?"

"I think she's going to take my exams for me." I replied, "And getting my cap and gown." Bonnie nodded her head and started telling me about the exams and before I knew it the sun had gone down.

"Hey Bonnie! Are you staying for dinner? We're ordering pizza." Jeremy yelled up the stairs.

She rolled her eyes, "Gilbert you need to eat something other than pizza once in awhile."

"Extra cheese and bacon?" he called back.

"Yes!" she laughed, shaking her head, "that brother of yours is going to get fat soon."

"I think he's got his whole hunters curse on his side." She shrugged her shoulder and rolled off my bed, "so how often have you been eating here?"

"Someone's gotta keep an eye on him." Bonnie replied, "come on, lets go find a movie to watch or something." I shrugged and followed her downstairs; Damon and Jeremy were already sitting on the couch watching some movie. Bonnie dropped down next to Jeremy and I sat down in the recliner again, this time putting the foot rest up.

Jeremy went got his pizza when it arrived and they turned on some zombie movie, once it was over Damon said his goodbyes and headed back to the mansion, Bonnie stuck around to talk with Jeremy for a little bit longer while I crawled into my bed and stretched out across my bed. It felt so weird to be sleeping here by myself. Katherine had been gone for almost four hours now, I had no doubt she'd gone to the school already but why wasn't she back?

Sighing I picked up my phone and checked my texts, I had one for Caroline asking who tipped me off, one from Bonnie asking if I was back yet and one from Damon I didn't check. I locked my phone and tossed it onto my night stand, rolling out of my bed. I unbuttoned my jeans and pushed them off, grabbing them and tossing them into my hamper followed by my shirt.

"Mmm, I have perfect timing." Katherine purred, pushing my door closed behind her, eyes raking across my body, "please don't let me stop you."

"Where have you been?" I asked, turning toward her and crossing my arms over my chest, "it's been hours."

"Everyone is more comfortable when I'm not around." Katherine shrugged, "here's your gown." She held out the red gown on one finger like it was diseased. I took it from her and hung it up in my closet.

"You could have at least texted me."

"You weren't worried about me until you were alone. And that's okay." Katherine stated, stepping up to me and brushing my hair off my shoulders, she was just a few inches taller than me, her eyes darken and the veins in her face start to emerge, I can feel my face doing the same.

"That's not true. I was thinking about you-."

"Shut up and kiss me already." I obliged, tangling my hand in her hair and pulling her down to my height. She wrapped her arm around my waist and picked me up from the ground, my legs wound around her waist and she held onto my ass to keep me there as our lips melded together, like pieces of a puzzle we fit together. I pulled at Katherine's shirt, breaking the kiss to rip the garment over her head and tossing it across the room before I grabbed her face in my hands and kissed her once more.

She threw me down on my bed, pulling away enough to look in my eyes, "Bonnie and Jeremy are downstairs, quiet now, cupcake." She whispered, her breath fanning across my neck as her hands traveled down my stomach, fingers twisting in my underwear and yanking at them until they slipped down my legs and she tossed them away, my bra soon followed and the cold air of the house attacked my skin as Katherine straddled my hips.

She might not have been naked, but as she raked her fingers through those curls and stared down at me she could not have been anymore alluring, "try not to scream my name too loud." She purred, leaning down and licking my neck, her soft lips sucking where my pulse would be. Her soft lips and warm tongue traveled down my chest and between my breasts, ignoring them as she quickly sought her true goal.

Her hair tickled my thighs as she ducked her head between my legs; I bit my lip until I thought I might actually bite it off trying not to scream her name. Katherine was truly evil, evil and a goddess, and it took every ounce of my willpower not to yell her name to the heavens when she buried her fingers inside of me, moving at just the right vampire speed to drive me straight over the edge before my mind could catch up with my body, her tongue lazily circled my clit once, twice, three times, and then she curled her fingers just right and I was pitched over the edge into pure bliss.

When I came back to reality Katherine was stretched out beside me, lazily licking her long slender fingers, "Bonnie and Jeremy didn't even hear a thing, good job." Katherine teased. I scowled at her but it was half hearted, "after graduation I want to take you somewhere, a nice vacation. Where do you want to go?" she asked, rolling onto her stomach beside me.

A short time ago the thought of going anywhere with Katherine would have horrified me, but now there was no hesitation, no pondering, no second guessing, the words that tumbled from my lips were the absolute truth, "I'll go anywhere with you, Katherine, I don't care where."

The smile that graced her face I only saw for the briefest moment, but I'd dare to describe it as bashful as she bit her lip and ducked her head, giggling. It was the most human thing I'd even heard witness Katherine do. I sat up and hooked my fingers beneath her chin, leaning forward and kissing her softly, when I pulled away she buried her face in my sheets, "if you tell anyone about this…"

"Your threats are empty, Pierce." She scowled at me and I grinned at her.

"Put some clothes on you arrogant brat." She stood and tossed a shirt at me, and after I tugged it on I realized it was hers. I slipped out of my bed and picked up my underwear, slipping them back on. Katherine pulled off her heels and jeans and grabbed a shirt from my dresser without hesitation, I pulled back my ripped comforter and slipped under my sheets and after flicking the lights off Katherine slipped in beside me, tucking into my arms.

"Aww, you're such a little cuddler, Kat." There was a sharp pain in my arm, "did you just bite me?"

"I don't know, did I?"

When I woke up I was alone in my bed, lying on top of the comforter in my jeans and shirt from the day before. I sat up and looked toward my closet; my graduation gown wasn't there. I flew out of my bed and down the stairs, Jeremy was in the kitchen shoveling cereal into his mouth, "did Katherine come back last night?"

"No, at least not before 10. I just figured she'd show up after I went to bed." No it was a dream…Katherine was in trouble, "Elena!" he yelled after me as I ran out the door, her car wasn't back. I ran straight back upstairs and grabbed my phone and car keys, heading quickly back down the stairs while calling Damon.

"Text me if you see her!" I told Jeremy, getting straight into my car and pulling out of my driveway without checking, "Damon, answer you phone." I groaned, speeding down the road.

"Good morning Elena." He greeted cheerfully.

"Katherine's missing. I'm looking at her car right now. She didn't even make it off the block." I pulled up behind it and got out of my car, walking to the open car door. Katherine's phone was in the cup holder and her keys were in the ignition, the window was shattered and there was a splatter of blood on the passenger seat, "Someone took her."

"Get home now, Elena." Damon ordered, I grunted in response and hung up on him, staring at the car for a long time before I took Katherine's keys and phone and drove back to my house, Jeremy was standing in the kitchen looking at me confused.

"Someone took her, her car was down at the stop sign, keys in the ignition, blood on the passenger seat." I dropped the keys and her phone on the counter, anger burning in my stomach and tears stinging my eyes, I covered my face with my hands, trying desperately not to start crying.

"We'll find her, Elena." Jeremy promised, walking over and wrapping his arms around me, I cried into my hands, pinned against his chest. My world was to be crashing around me, Katherine was the only person who made me feel normal, and now she was gone. Anyone else would have told me to get over it, but Jeremy simply held me while I cried, and told me a million times that we were going to get her back but I was having trouble believing him.

Nobody I cared about ever came back.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I realized I never gave a time frame. The first chapter takes place after 4x06, but at the end of 4x07 Elena ends up taking a walk and getting tossed in the tomb, instead of ending up back at the Salvatore mansion with Damon.
> 
> And now on with the story!

Damon's arrival did not make me feel any better, he brought Caroline and Stefan with him, "the witch wants to do a tracking spell. Do you have anything of Katherine's?" I nodded and pushed away from the counter, glaring at Stefan and Caroline as I passed between them.

It took some rummaging around but I found one of Katherine's necklaces in her bag, when I came back downstairs Bonnie was in the living room setting up for the spell, "I think this should work." I offered, handing it to Bonnie quickly she gave me a sad smile and clutched the necklace in her hand, closing her eyes.

I stood by the back door watching her, pointedly ignoring Stefan and Caroline staring at me from across the room. I was pretty sure they were trying to figure out if I was actually Katherine pretending to be me, and I guess the way I was dressed didn't help, since I'd borrowed Katherine's clothes after my initial panic, since mine were still dirty. I crossed my feet at the ankles and crossed my arms over my chest, Katherine's jacket pulling tightly across my back.

It smelled like her, leather, darkness with a hint of vanilla, it was comforting in ways I wasn't ready to think about. I was starting to feel angry again, angry and sad. I shifted my legs and chewed on the inside of my lip. I could think of a million reasons why anyone would abduct Katherine, I really could, but I couldn't think of a single person who would be able to except for Klaus-and Katherine was of no use to him since she was a vampire.

"She's…in the middle of the ocean." Bonnie whispered. I was at her side in a blink, she flinched when I was suddenly leaning over her shoulder but pointed to the tiny spot her crystal had landed on, it was a spot in the middle of the ocean off the coast of Nova Scotia, and there wasn't even a tiny green dot on the map, nothing but ocean. But if the spell said Katherine was there, Katherine was there.

"Well at least we have a place now, and I've got Katherine's credit card I'm going to find a flight." I started to leave the room but Stefan grabbed my arm and pulled me back into the room, "let me go Stefan."

"You can't just go chasing after Katherine to some place in the middle of nowhere." He told me, I glanced from his face down to his wrist and back up, giving him one last warning look, he didn't loosen his grip. I reached over faster than he could react, grabbed his wrist in my hand, squeezed until the bones cracked and his fingers loosened up and then I spun his arm around his back and slammed him up against the wall, knocking a picture frame down which shattered on the floor.

"I told you to let me go, Stefan, I will not be man handled anymore. I'm going after Katherine. It's not open for discussion." I might have been saying it to Stefan, but I was directing it at everyone in the room. I let go of his arm and walked out, heading for the staircase, Caroline's heels clacked as she followed me.

"You shouldn't go alone to some strange place, you might trust Katherine but it could be a trap." Caroline told me.

"If she wanted to kidnap me she had plenty of opportunities, or did you miss the fact that I've been gone, alone with her, for almost a month." I continued up the stairs pausing again to look back at her, "and unless you're planning on volunteering to come along save the rest of your speech."

Unfortunately, while Caroline did not volunteer, Stefan did. So along with Jeremy, Damon, Bonnie and Rebekah I flew to Nova Scotia. When we arrived we spent a few minutes trying to get a map and figure out how we were going to get there, Rebekah glamoured us some airboats and a quick lesson on how to work them and soon we were heading toward the island.

Bonnie, Jeremy and I shared one boat, which was what I preferred. Damon got stuck with Rebekah and Stefan, and spent the majority of the time making jokes and trying to lighten up the situation for me, which was appreciated, but not helping.

"We'll find her, Elena." Bonnie told me, I turned to face her, my eyes briefly flicking to Jeremy who was busy steering the boat. The others had gone way ahead of us, no fear of crashing since they couldn't die. At least there was less of a chance of them eaves dropping on any of our conversations.

"I hope so." I whispered.

"I know you're worried about her, but you've got to remember, she's a big bad vampire, even though she's kidnapped, she's still alive. She's still fighting, and she's probably letting them think they've got her or something. She probably wants to figure out what they want before she splits."

I smiled and leaned over to hug her, remembering not to squeeze to hard, "thanks, Bonnie." She smiled at me.

"Besides, Katherine would probably pitch a fit if she didn't have some hugely epic death, she won't be dying on some tiny island in the middle of nowhere." Ahead of us I heard Rebekah and Damon chuckling, they'd slowed down.

"We're almost there." Damon pointed ahead of us where I could just make out a fog covered bump on the horizon, and soon the fog cleared and I saw a humid beach, that looked like it belonged in a plane crash movie covered in rocks with a steep ridge that led up to a forest of trees. Bonnie and Jeremy found some rocks to sit by while Bonnie redid the tracking spell with a sketchy map of the island, Rebekah and Stefan worked on securing the boats, and I started pacing across the beach.

"Alright, lets go." Bonnie said suddenly, heading off into the trees. I glanced at Damon who shrugged and fell into step behind Bonnie and Jeremy, I made sure to keep up with him to avoid falling behind where Rebekah and Stefan were bringing up the back of our group. Our walking led us around a high cliff that dropped straight down into crystal blue water, we walked straight until night, stopping once or twice for Bonnie to rest.

We were getting ready to go again when Jeremy suddenly yelled, "stop!" and rushed in front of us, holding out his arms to insure we didn't move past him.

"What is it now?" Rebekah huffed. I rolled my eyes at her, even though I was wondering the same thing.

Jeremy rolled his eyes as well, bending down to pick up a decent sized rock and tossed it into a small clearing, a net trap was sprung and rushed straight up, "well that happened. Good catch, Gilbert." Damon clapped him on the shoulder and started after Bonnie who was squinting at her map. Rebekah and Stefan also moved past us, rolling my eyes I followed behind him.

An hour later we stumbled upon a clearing with a cabin in the center, "this is where she was when I cast the spell." Bonnie stated, looking around the empty clearing, "I guess they've moved on."

"You can recast the spell a little later, might as well rest while we're here." I sat down on a log around a dug out fire pit, a few minutes later Damon went to get some firewood while Bonnie and Jeremy went to explore the cabin, Rebekah and Stefan sat at the far end of the site. When Damon came back I watched him work on the fire, eventually I ended up standing up and pacing behind him while he got the flames going higher.

"Quit pacing, Elena, you're going to dig a ditch soon." Rebekah commented.

I glared at her and continued to pace, "unless you have something useful to say, why don't you just shut up?" I hissed.

"Do you two have to bicker every time you're in the same area?" Stefan asked, looking between us.

"I tried to be her friend, but I ended up with a dagger in my back." Rebekah snapped in response, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at me.

"You killed me." I threw back, "and you almost killed Matt."

Rebekah had no response except a glare, "Why don't you go check around here, see if you find anything." Jeremy interjected, "I'll go with you." Jeremy started to grab his bag to follow after me.

"No, you'll stay here." I snapped, "where Damon and Rebekah can watch you. I don't need you dying on me."

"You trust her to watch me?" Jeremy asked. I couldn't blame him for being skeptical, since I was just arguing with her, but he would be safer with Rebekah than he would be with anyone else.

"You'll lead her to the cure; she'll protect you until she has it in her hand." Rebekah shrugged in agreement, "I'll go alone."

"I'll go with you." Stefan stood up and headed into the bushes without giving me a chance to argue. Scowling I followed him silently, we circled the house in gradually widening circles, Stefan was silent and I appreciated it, but I knew he'd open his mouth sooner or later and naturally he didn't disappoint, "just because she was nice to you for a few weeks doesn't mean Katherine's changed."

"Just because you stopped drinking human blood doesn't mean you've changed." I replied casually, my eyes scanning the ground for any trip wires, "but you still expect me to trust you. Rebekah killed me, and you brought her along. Damon killed my brother but you don't object to me trusting him, but Katherine and I have sex and she takes me away from Mystic Falls so I can have some fun and she's the bad one."

"She's dangerous and manipulative." Stefan was starting to sound angry, I stopped and spun around, glaring up at him, my hands balling into fists.

"So was Damon, so is Rebekah, so are you! She's a vampire; I get it big and bad Katherine, she broke your heart and she broke Damon's. She's killed people, she'll kill more people. But she's the only person who hasn't tried to fix me. I'm not some broken toy Stefan, I'm a person. I was killed and I turned into a vampire, and I needed to be taught how to live, not how to survive until we can find a cure. I'm fine the way I am, it's you who has the problem."

"She's using you. She's using you like she used Damon and like she used me, and when she's done she's just going to string you along and run away. Hell maybe she did run, maybe she's leading you on a wild chase. She doesn't care about you." I wasn't consciously thinking when I did it, but I felt the crack of his cheek bone as my knuckles slammed into his face, and then the wind ripped through my hair as the forest blurred around me.

I made it to the beach again before I stopped, collapsing in the sand on my knees with tears streaming down my face. I buried my face in my hands and sobbed so hard that I thought I might start crying blood, and nothing I did could stop it. I trusted Katherine, I did, but a tiny part of me was worried that she was going to run away on me. A tiny part of me that I tried my hardest to ignore, because nothing I'd seen of Katherine since that night should have made me believe that.

But knowing who Katherine was and what she did in the past, those things I remembered too. She could very easily be playing me, for what I don't know. I already knew she was using me for sex, which I was okay with, but to me she was a friend, a very good friend, and I just couldn't believe that she would, but now I was so terrified she was going to run out on me.

I sniffled deeply, "Fuck I need to stop crying." I started rubbing the heel of my hand against my eyes as I tipped my head back and stared up at the starry night sky, blinking away the tears that were still trying to roll down my cheeks.

"Still haven't gotten those emotions under control yet." Rebekah's voice grated on my ears like nails on a chalkboard, "took me forever to get them under control, I broke a nail and cried for ten minutes during the first month, even though it grew back in like two." She dropped into the sand beside me.

"What do you want?" I asked, angrily swiping at the tears trying not to sniffle.

"Well Damon wanted to come look for you, but I figured you'd rather he stay with Jeremy, so here I am." She replied moving so her legs stretched out in front of her and leaning back on her elbows, "when I trapped you two in the tomb I certainly never expected this pleasant situation to happen, I honestly expected Katherine would kill you."

"Gee thanks."

"If it's any consolation, I'm glad she didn't kill you." Rebekah told me, turning her head to give me a toothy grin, "you're truly less annoying now, and apparently you've got a nice right hook. How's the hand?"

"It healed." I mumbled, looking down at it, "I think I broke a few bones."

"Make a fist." I did, Alaric had taught me how to punch, I knew what I was supposed to do, but this felt so strange, "your nails tuck them, don't dig them into the heel of your hand. Vampire nails aren't as flexible as human nails."

I flexed my hand and tucked my nails, the fist felt more natural that way, "thanks." She shrugged, tilting her head up so the moonlight was splashed across her pale face. Slowly I untucked my legs and stretched them out in front of me, too, leaning back on my elbows.

"For what it's worth, I don't see any reason Katherine would be using you. This isn't 1864, she's not hiding who she is, she's not running from Klaus. She's just living, and she may not be as serious about whatever is going on between you two as you are, but I don't think she's got a reason to use you."

"Thanks, Rebekah." I whispered.

"Don't mention it." She paused, "Ever."

"Cross my heart." I mumbled, standing up and brushing the sand off my pants, "we should head back."

"We should walk; I had to dodge a few traps on my way here. Got any fun stories to pass the time." She stood up and brushed the sand off of her jeans, falling into step beside me.

"None that you'd want to hear." She made a face and then started telling me some stories about her human life; we were walking faster than humans would, but not running. I got lucky when I sped off that I didn't trip one of the billion traps around the island.

"So there we were, in the middle of sneaking out to try and go see the wolves whe-." She shot forward and grabbed this huge wooden thing as it swung up toward me, stopping it inches away from my chest; I took a few steps backwards, just to put some space between me and the death trap.

"Thanks for the save."

"Anyways, we're trying to sneak out and here comes our father…" she continues on, walking in front of me. I smiled and jogged slightly to catch up with her, listening to her story with rapt attention. Maybe, just maybe, Rebekah wasn't so bad. I couldn't completely judge her for killing me; after all killing me saved her family, and every other vampire. Maybe a little part of me hated her for that, I was dead now after all, but I was going to be around for a long time and harboring hatred for everyone who'd done something shitty to me was going to get exhausting.

When we got back to the small circle Bonnie was asleep, her head resting on Jeremy's shoulder while Jeremy had his arm wrapped around her shoulders, his head resting against hers as he snored. Damon's jacket was draped over her arms and Damon was sitting beside the fire, poking at the flames to make them a little higher.

"Stefan is brooding over by the house." He told us when Rebekah and I entered the clearing; I could just make out his silhouette against the house. I glanced at Rebekah who sighed and sat down; clearly she didn't want to deal with him. And he'd been the one to invite her. I sat down between her and Damon, taking out Katherine's necklace, rubbing the cool metal charm between my fingers.

It was a simple locket that had some inscription on it in another language, when you opened it there was a small vial meant to hold ashes, but it was empty, she never told me what it was for, but I had a sneaking suspicion it was in memory of her parents, at the very least her mother, she didn't wear it often, but she carried it in her bag constantly. I hooked it around my neck so I was sure I wouldn't lose it and tucked it under my shirt.

We all drifted into a state of motionlessness. My thoughts were pin balling around from topic to topic. Katherine's possible, but not probable, betrayal, Rebekah killing me, Stefan trying to drive me off the bridge, Damon killing Jeremy, Katherine killing Caroline, the hunters curse, Damon saving me when I tried to meet the sun, Rebekah saving me from the trap.

At some point in my life I'd hated every vampire sitting around me. Stefan tried to drive me off of Wickery Bridge, Damon had killed my brother, killed Vicki, Rebekah had killed me, nearly killed Matt, Katherine had impersonated me, killed Caroline, had Jenna nearly kill herself. I had every reason to hate every one of them, but I just couldn't bring myself to fully hate any of them.

I rubbed Katherine's locket between my fingers absently.


	8. Chapter 8

It was the middle of the night; everyone was sound asleep around me, except for Rebekah who was poking at the fire while her eyes looked off into the distance. We weren't talking much, but it was a comfortable silence. Stefan had come over and built a tent where Bonnie and Jeremy were currently asleep. Stefan had fallen asleep lying on a log in front of the tent, and Damon was asleep with his head in my lap, I wasn't sure when he'd moved to lie there, but suddenly he was there and asleep.

My mind was sort of blank, my eyes watching the fire flicker and the embers fly into the dark night sky. It was so clear outside I could see every star without a problem, the sky was sprinkled with the glowing white dots, and it was easy for me to pick out constellations, and when I started naming them out loud Rebekah leaned over and showed me a few that had been in the sky since the time she was a human and the ones she'd learned over the years.

The longer I stared the more exhausted I felt, and I could feel myself slowly falling asleep, I was just on the edge, about to dive off the cliff into dreamland when a shriek ripped through the silent night. I knew that scream. That was the fear filled scream of someone about to die.

Rebekah and I jumped up, Damon and Stefan rolled to their feet and Bonnie and Jeremy stumbled out of the tent, I listened and waited for the sound again, the once noisy animals were silent, the wind died down and everything seemed frozen in time. A scream pierced the air, this one was both terrified and angry, and this one was a woman, "Katherine." I whispered.

I was running toward the sound without hesitation not caring about the dozens of traps littering the island. I had to find her. Rebekah caught up with me, keeping pace, and I assumed Damon and Stefan stayed with Jeremy and Bonnie. I could smell blood as we got closer to a cave entrance, I slowed down and looked at Rebekah who shrugged, and together we stepped inside.

A few feet from the entrance there was a giant hole and somewhere within it someone was bleeding to death. Rebekah jumped down first and I followed behind her. Dirt clouded in the air as our feet hit the ground; we were in a huge cave system, one that would be hard to navigate if it wasn't for the overwhelming stench of blood in the air. When I looked back up I noticed some climbing gear, whoever had come down here was human, but we'd fallen through two holes, not one.

Rebekah and I moved slowly, watching out for any traps, Katherine, her kidnapper and whoever it was that screamed first. Winding through the caves led us to an old sarcophagus, there was nothing in or on it, but laying at the base of it was a dead man with blonde hair and a hunters mark down his arm, "what the hell…"

"Silas." Rebekah whispered running her hands over inscriptions on the wall, "This is where Silas was…somebody woke him and took the cure." We exchanged a worried look and quickly back pedaled the way we came. If Silas was down here I certainly did not want to be.

When we reached the two holes Rebekah threw me up in the air and I leaned down and pulled her up when she jumped and we repeated the process at the second. We moved out of the cave quickly, finding everyone standing there waiting, "we figured since we didn't hear you scream it was better if we waited here." Stefan stated.

"We found Silas, or at least where he was. He's risen. Dead hunter down there slumped over his rock bed. Katherine was there, but she's gone now, too." Rebekah said, "I smelled some cologne, but I couldn't tell who it came from."

"Do you think Katherine took the cure?" Stefan asked bluntly staring at me with a blank expression, "she killed him to wake Silas and took the cure with her, maybe to get Klaus off her back finally."

Everyone looked at me, "She could have, I would have in her position." I turned and promptly walked off toward the beach, "we might as well go home, keep looking for her, get away from Silas. We can do another tracking spell when we're back home, right Bonnie?"

"Yeah." She replied. To speed things up we piggy backed Bonnie and Jeremy and ran as fast as we could to the beach, speeding along the water in silence. We spent a night at the air port waiting to take a plane back to Mystic Falls. I was feeling completely drained by the time we reached my door, Jeremy and Bonnie went inside ahead of me to set up for the tracking spell. Stefan, Damon and Rebekah left and I stood on the porch, staring across the street. I turned to go inside, my hand on the door, when a cold hand grabbed my chin and twisted my head to the side rapidly, everything faded and then there was nothing.

When I woke again, my head feeling like a thousand pounds and everything feeling a little fuzzy around the edges, I found myself in a very familiar place, roped to a chair in the center of an unfinished living room, "Klaus!" I screamed until I felt the back of my throat ripping to shreds, only to heal moments later. I thrashed against the tight bindings, but they weren't giving in the least bit, "Klaus! Untie me!"

"Lovely to see you're awake." He commented casually, strolling over to me at a slow pace, a stupid smug grin on his face. He held a glass of blood to my lips, "I promise I'm not trying to kill you. Though that would be a simpler solution." He tipped the glass back and as soon as the blood touched my tongue I gulped it down greedily until it was empty and the fuzzy feeling was gone.

"Why did you take me?" I asked narrowing my eyes at him, testing the ropes again, still too strong but I might be able to break the chair.

"Simple, someone wants me dead." He bent to my level and locked eyes with me, "you will not leave this house and you will not attempt to contact your friends. Understand?"

I could feel the compulsion settle over my mind, "yes."

"Wonderful." He ripped the ropes away from my arms and stepped back so I could stand up. I rubbed my wrists until the redness was gone, "now I understand Katerina has been abducted?" he said, moving through the house, there was a silent command for me to follow him.

"Depends on who you ask." I muttered, following after him.

"My sister believes she was abducted, and it makes sense. As I've recently learned there is a new attempt against my life, involving you, your precious copy Katherine and the cure."

"And how is that stuff going to kill you?" I asked, following him up the stairs.

"With your vampire doppelganger blood, Katherine's human doppelganger blood and a witch powerful enough to do the spell, he can reverse my vampirism, and then kill me, without killing every vampire in my bloodline."

"Because reversing your vampirism won't kill your bloodline? Won't it turn them human?"

"It's a possibility. But human is better than dead, wouldn't that be wonderful for you?" he mused, pushing open a large door and strolling into the room, "you may stay in this room at night, enjoy the books and whatever else you can find. Again, do not attempt to contact your friends or leave. I have been generous enough to allow you your daylight ring, but do not make me regret it." The look he gave me would have terrified me if I had thought he might kill me, instead it simply made me feel inclined to not disobey his requests.

He left, pulling the door mostly shut behind him. I circled the room and glanced at the bookshelf briefly before flopping back on the bed, "at least it's not the art dungeon." I muttered.

"That room is not a dungeon; it is the nicest room in the house, get better taste." Klaus called back, I couldn't help but smirk.

"Maybe I would have appreciated it more if I wasn't being harassed by hallucinations." I called back, vividly recalling the hour I spent talking to both Conner and Katherine in his basement before I managed to get out, now I wished Katherine was here, captivity would be a lot more pleasant with her around, even hallucination her.

Sighing I stood up and explored the bookshelf a bit more, finding a book entitled 'Mikalson' sitting among them. I pulled it down and sat in a high back chair by the window. The book was almost as large as the book on Katherine's family I had found, but I had a feeling it was one of many on their family. There was nothing in it that I didn't already know about them, but it kept track of their lives from becoming originals up until Klaus went dagger happy.

By the time I finished it the time was nearly noon, Klaus had come and brought me a glass of blood, and surprisingly he had not commented on my choice of literature, he merely looked at the book, paused and left. I guess he wasn't too worried about me knowing his families history, it's not like I could kill him without killing everyone I loved.

I put the book back in its spot and stretched out on the large bed again, curling up to sleep finally, my fingers slipped around the necklace and I closed my eyes, I could almost feel her laying beside me. I could almost feel her. 'Elena…Elena.' My eyes snapped open, but I could still hear her, 'I'm in Mystic Falls, I don't know where. If you can hear me I'm close.'

'I'm here, Katherine.' I thought back, but she didn't reply. I stood up and quickly moved through the house, following the faint smell of paint to Klaus' art room, "Klaus. Get Bonnie, now." He glanced over at me confused, "Katherine, I don't know how, but she's talking to me."

"Did you go off and kill another hunter?" he joked, turning his back to me once more.

"No. She's talking to me, she said she's back in Mystic Falls, and close if she can talk to me. Bonnie needs to do another tracking spell with her necklace. Get her here, I won't try to leave after, but get her here. Now." Anger flashed in his eyes, but his desire to have Katherine and I in his possession was clearly stronger than anything else.

He pulled out his phone and pressed it to his ear, "No questions, bring Bonnie to me, and a map of the town, now." I start pacing while he continues to paint, its aggravating how calm he is, but he remains at ease while he paints, not even my constant pacing breaks his calm. There's a knock on the door and one of Klaus' hybrids drags Bonnie inside.

"Elena!" she ripped her arm out of his grasp and she rushed to me, "you're okay."

"Yeah, look no time to explain, Katherine is close. Do you have the map?" the hybrid glanced to Klaus, who I assumed nodded and then he handed me the map. I dragged Bonnie out of the main room into a side dining room. She had her crystal on her and we found some candles, I handed her my necklace and stood back to watch.

At first it didn't work, but then the crystal zipped to a small spot on the end of town, just off the edge of the map. Bonnie marked it with a red pen, "we can go get her if we just get Stefan and Damon-."

"No." Klaus' sudden entrance made Bonnie jump, "tonight we will go, with my hybrids, and retrieve Katerina. Nobody else will know about this." Bonnie looked ready to argue with him and it crossed my mind for a minute, but it made perfect sense.

"It will be better if Klaus and his hybrids go, Klaus can't be killed and the hybrids are dangerous to humans and vampires. Don't tell anyone where she is Bonnie, she could die." Bonnie looked conflicted, but agreed not to tell anyone as she walked back toward the door, "Just call me when you get back, so I know you're okay?"

I glanced at Klaus, "fine, run along now, little witch." I stood at the door and watch Bonnie and the hybrid leaving, closing the door once the car was gone from my sight, I turned to Klaus.

"I think it would be better if it was the most minimal amount of people. And if I went." Klaus laughed as he walked away, I rushed to keep stride with him, "Katherine will try to run without me there, you can compel me to make sure I don't run-I don't care, let me come with."

"Well if you die my problems are solved." He responded, "Unless you can sweet talk my sister into aiding us, you won't be going." He tossed his phone at me and closed the door to whatever room he went into in my face.

It took me a few minutes to figure out which number was Rebekah's since the contacts were all saved in another language, and it took three calls for an annoyed Rebekah to answer, and about an hour to convince her to help us, after that there was nothing I could do but sit on the staircase and wait to leave.

Rebekah showed up around nightfall and I sat and listened to the pair attempt to create an attack plan, I wanted to run right now, but thanks to Klaus I was compelled to stay in the house, and as the night grew darker I became more nervous that he'd go back on his word and make me stay here, when they'd finally worked out the plan Klaus walked over to me and grabbed my chin, "You will not run away from me, you will follow my orders, and you will not let Katerina escape."

"Yes." I whispered.

"Let's go." Rebekah and Klaus walked out at a brisk pace, I followed pausing slightly before stepping out the front door and crawled into the back of Klaus' SUV. He parked on the far side of the woods and we snuck around the back up to a run down old mansion with ivy growing up one side and paint peeling everywhere. I could feel Katherine now, stronger than before, and the only thing keeping me outside was Klaus' compulsion.

We watched silently as a man moved through the house, he was silent, like us. A vampire. We crept into the house a few minutes after he went upstairs, going through an open window, I pointed down to tell them that's where Katherine was, and as we moved I could hear a heartbeat of someone else downstairs.

"Get Katherine and go to the car." Klaus whispered, handing me the keys before slipping up the stairs. I looked at Rebekah who opened the basement door as quietly as possible. I moved down the stairs in a hurry, Rebekah behind me, and stopped. There was only one person downstairs.

Tied to a bed, bleeding from her forehead and stomach, sweating badly and half awake with her now human heart beating slowly, Katherine stared at me, "get her feet, I'll get her hands." Rebekah ordered. I didn't stop to argue, I ripped the bindings off her feet and Rebekah undid her hands before scooping her limp body from the bed, "lead the way, Elena."

Back up the stairs, out of the house into the woods, nobody stopped us, nothing creepy happened, we made it. Halfway to the car there was a scream, and by the time Klaus made it to the car the house was burning like crazy, "that's one problem down." He muttered, looking at Katherine and I in the rearview mirror as he started the car.

I was scared for my life now; Katherine and I were the only things that could kill him now. He could kill us, just to protect himself, or kill me and use Katherine to build his army, and now I was helpless to do anything but give Katherine enough of my blood to heal her wounds while she slept.

Klaus left us in a new bedroom with an attached bathroom and some clothes he'd gotten from Katherine's car. I pulled off her old clothes and changed her into clean ones before carrying her over to the bed, she was asleep for most of it, but occasionally she opened her eyes to look at me before she fell back to sleep. Once she was changed I cleaned up the bathroom and changed into something more comfortable to sleep in before I crawled into the bed beside her.

She rolled so her back was toward me and scooted across the bed until she was tucked in my arms. I draped one arm over her hip and tucked the other under my pillow before I closed my eyes and waited to drift to sleep. It didn't take long for me to fall into strange dreams for the entire time I slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter was so short or if it seemed rushed at all, I cut the last chapter because I felt like they got Katherine back too quick and I couldn't really think of much more to add to make getting to Katherine take longer. I hope you're enjoying the story!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I have not seen any of season five, as my schedule and my DVR are preventing me from doing so. This will deviate from the show in how the cure affects Katherine (or maybe not I don’t know) Sorry I’ve been gone so long, I was working on my NaNo Novel and had a lot of work.

4 Years Later 

“Do you ever get tired of the beach?” Katherine snarked, her shadow cast over my body and killing the heat that had been soaking into my skin as she stood behind me. A jolt of shock ran through me that I quickly covered as I sighed and pushed my body up on my forearms, turning my head to look up at her. The sun crowned over her head like a halo, I’d say she looked like an angel but the expression on her face would lean more toward devil, and the ache in my heart would call her a demon.

“Not really, no.” I replied dryly, “but I see you have.” She looked paler than the last time I’d seen her, and a little more skinny than usual, like she’d stopped eating again, but still so Katherine that neither of those things really bothered me the way they should have. 

“Yeah, well the sand gets a little old sometimes.” Katherine responded dryly, covering her eyes with some large sunglasses, “You’re all packed up and ready to go.” Of course I was, I always was when she showed up.

I made her stand there for an extra ten minutes before I stood up, burying my feet in the sand and wiggling my toes in it for good measure, then I picked up my towel and bag, following her up toward her car without hesitation, something I hated myself for. I tossed my bag into the backseat, watching the sand sprinkle across the other wise clean floor, sinking into the passenger seat and slamming the door of her precious car just a little too hard, “where are we going this time?”

“You’ll see.” she teased.

“That’s not a phrase I want to hear.” Katherine simply smirked at me as she started the car. I rolled my eyes, reaching into backseat I grabbed a pair of underwear, a bra and a sun dress and dragged them into the seat with me. I could feel Katherine’s eyes burning into my skin as I pushed myself up off the seat and rolled the bikini bottoms off, kicking them aside so I could slide the underwear up my legs and sit back down. I reached under my hair and undid both ties on my swim suit, the bits of material falling into my lap.

Katherine’s knuckles were white as they squeezed the steering wheel and I took my time putting the bra on, sliding each strap up slowly before bending over to get the cups settled right and hooking it around my back before I dragged the sun dress over my head and lifted up to tuck it under my butt.

“That will not make me tell you.” Katherine growled.

I smirked and leaned over, kissing her just under her jaw, her pulse beating quickly against my lips as my fingers slowly walked up the inside of her thigh, running my nail up the center seam of her shorts, she inhaled sharply, “I just want you to get their faster.” I whispered.

With a murderous expression on her face she put her foot down on the pedal until it was nearly on the floor, the mustang purred loudly and shot down the road. An hour of driving later and we were pulling up outside a small cottage using a bumpy rocky path. Katherine dragged me from the car, angry that I was moving so slow, and shoved me down onto the bed upstairs.

“Eager, eager.” I teased, rolling onto my knees to pull the dress off, Katherine already had her shirt off and when I met her at the edge of the bed our bodies pressed together, my hands tangled in her hair as our lips melded together, her hands moved down to cup my ass, lifting me from the bed and spinning us so she fell back onto the bed and I was on top of her. I grinned down at her as my hair surrounded us like a personal privacy curtain.

“I’ve missed you.” I whispered, my eyes tracing over the faint bags under her eyes and the way her lips were slightly chapped, the way her hair seemed dull and her skin lost its life. I cradled her jaw in my hand.

“I’ve missed you.” She whispered back, reaching up and tucking my hair behind my ear, her dark eyes studying my face for a long moment. Her gaze was electrifying, I couldn’t bring myself to move, to do anything but memorize every inch of her expression, though similar to mine her face was also different

. It had seen so many things, done so many things, those eyes had seen horror, pain, love, loss, all of it made her look so different then me, and yet the same, and she was magnificent, “we have a house now. It’s not much, but it’s ours and it’s safe, and far away from Klaus and worry. That is, if you’ll go with me.”

“I’ll go anywhere and everywhere with you.” I whispered my heart aching, ducking my head to kiss her; those pink lips fit with mine so perfectly, her warm tongue swirled with mine, soft and smooth, teasing and promising, but hesitating. I pulled back, raking my fingers through my hair, “what’s wrong, Katherine?”

“I was just so scared that you would hate me for leaving.” Her dark eyes showed fear deep within them.

Just like that the built up tension crashed, the ache in my heart seemed to burn through me and I wanted as much distance as I could get between us. Sighing I hopped off the bed, moving to the other side of the room. Katherine sat up, finding her shirt on the floor and pulling it back over her head. I couldn’t think of what to say, of what would be right to say, “I’m sorry I left.” She whispered.

“You can keep saying your sorry Katherine, no matter how many times you say it you just keep leaving.” I snapped, anger swelling in my chest, I turned so I was glaring out the window instead of at her, crossing my arms tightly over my chest.

“But I come back.” She tried to reason, her voice pleading.

“And each time I just let you. I don’t say anything, I just let you walk back and waited for you to leave again,” I sighed, pushing my hair back, “and I’m tired of it.”

“I just needed to be human Elena; do you know what that means to me? I’ve been alive for more than double the time I’ve been human. When you get my age you’ll understand. I’m sorry I kept leaving, but I’m not leaving you again.” 

“But you did, you left and you took almost a year to come back.” My voice cracked and I bit my lip, turning my eyes to the floor.

“I’m sorry.” Katherine whispered, looking down at her feet, pushing her fingers through her hair now, when she looked up at me she was nearly in tears, “I just…Elena, I could die, soon, tomorrow, next week, I could get old or get sick again and I’m scared. I want to be human but I don’t want to be weak, and I don’t want to try to turn again and end up just…dead.”

A huge lump formed in my throat upon hearing the words; it was the one thing we made a silent agreement to not talk about, “Katherine I’m not asking you to stop being human, I’m asking you to stop leaving.” I paused, turning my back to her, searching the floor for my dress, “Or the next time you do, please don’t come back.” I picked up my dress from the floor and walked out of the room, I could hear the bed creak; she must have flopped back on the bed. 

Scowling I stormed out of the house in a blind rage, slamming the door roughly behind me, I tugged on the dress at some point as I marched into the woods. How could she think that this was even harder on her, when she’d been running out on people her whole life? When I’d risked my life to make sure she wouldn’t be killed, I risked my life every day she was gone, because if Klaus found out he would kill me, but she still left, time and time again, and then came back and acted like her world was ending, but I was the one who would likely die. She could hide from him, she was great at it, but I wasn’t. I had family and loved ones and I could still be hurt. 

Sinking down at the base of a tree far enough of away from the house that I couldn’t hear her I dragged my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms tightly around my legs, staring off into the woods blankly, my nails digging into my legs so hard the half moon dents started to bleed, which is when I pulled my hands away and kicked out my feet resting my head against the trunk of the tree.

Part of me knew I’d do the same thing in her shoes, run scared and experience all the humanity that I could. How would I feel if suddenly life was so short, that now I was no longer invincible, and every enemy I’d ever made could come and snap my neck and there’d be no more waking up, no more life, just nothing. Trapped in limbo forever. I glanced back toward the cabin we’d stopped at, my heart torn between wanting to go make up and wanting to just leave and not look back.

I sat there for a few hours, my legs moved on their own as the sun started to set, slowly carrying me back into the house. Katherine was pacing inside the small bedroom at the end of the bed, muttering things in Bulgarian under her breath, “Katherine.” I whispered when I realized she didn’t notice I’d come back, she stopped and turned around, her face shocked, her eyes and nose looking red and puffy.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered again, I could see the tears shining in her eyes, I looked away from her, “If you want me to be a vampire again, I’ll do it, I’ll risk it for you.” She whispered.

“No.” I replied, “if you want to do it, then you do it, but not for me. If you want to live until you die a human death, then I will stay with you until then.”

“I don’t.” Katherine told me, rubbing her elbow and biting her lip, her eyes focused on the ground, “I want to be a vampire again, but I’m scared, Elena, and I hate being scared.”

“Me too.” I replied, stepping up to her, cupping her cheek in my hand, tipping her face up toward mine, “I’ll be right here with you.”

She took my hand in hers; her heart was beating loudly, the blood rushing through her veins, pumping loudly through my ears, wakening a hunger I hadn’t felt in years. She pulled me toward the bed, crawling toward the headboard and dragging me with her, “If anything, it’s a beautiful place to die.” She chuckled dryly.

I nodded in silent agreement before I pulled my arm back and bit into my wrist until the blood rolled down my arm and then I held my wrist out to her. She grabbed my arm and slowly leaned in, licking the trail of blood up to the wound and then gently sucked on the wound until it closed, then she dropped my arm and wiped her face, glancing at me with her eyes wide.

I slowly crawled over to her, dragging her into my lap before I kissed her slowly, wrapping one arm around her waist, enjoying her heart beating in my ears, so nervous, and anxious, scared, but she kissed me with so much love in the way her fingers caressed my cheek and her hand squeezed mine, “I love you, Elena.” She whispered.

“I love you, Katherine.” I whispered back, running one of my hands slowly down her cheek, “Are you sure?”

“Yes. See you soon.” She smiled at me weakly as I gripped her chin in my hand, I jerked her chin roughly toward me and her neck snapped with a loud crack, her grip on my other hand loosened, and her heart beat slowed to nothing. I leaned back against the headboard cradling her in my arms, feeling the heat leave her body and my heart sank deeper and deeper the longer she laid there motionless in my arms.

I couldn’t help but remember the winter we spent in Bulgaria in her house, the snow covering the ground and the fire places burning with the most wonderful smell in the living room, waking up to her baking cookies at three am, falling asleep to her singing to me softly, laying on the rug in front of the fire place covered in each other, being only us, forever. Or so it seemed then.

The weeks we spent at her ranch, riding the horses to the edge of nowhere, and dancing at the country club, spending nights reading together in her bed. The two months we spent living out of her car, driving around the US from New York to Texas, flying to Alaska and Hawaii, and now here we were in some shitty cabin in Florida, and she was gone and she might not be coming back.

But I stayed there laying with her until the sun rose, thinking back on all of those times, and thinking about the year I spent without her, wondering where she was while Caroline dragged me to class after class until I gave up and ran away to Florida, spending my days on the beach and my nights surfing through various night clubs to find dinner. Never anything else. Never anyone else. Never Katherine.

I’d never gone to look for her, if she didn’t want to be found she wouldn’t be found, human or not. She was crafty, smart and resourceful, for all I knew she could have been following me day and night, and I would never have noticed. I never tried to hide, she knew where I was, I was obvious and a creature of habit. She just showed up out of the blue, asking me a dumb question and telling me I was leaving, and I just went and we just jumped straight into bed and then arguing and then she was telling me to turn her and I didn’t even give it a thought. I just did it.

If she was a vampire again she wouldn’t leave, I know that’s what I was thinking, but I wasn’t thinking nearly as much about what if, what if she didn’t wake up, what if something bad happened, what if she bolted afterwards, what if she wasn’t the same, what if she didn’t have any control, what if she hated me. And now she’s dead, and she’s lying here, dead in my arms.

I stroked her hair gently, running my fingers down the side of her face, her skin was cold an clammy, her lips nearly white. It felt like someone was holding my heart in their hand trying to squeeze it until it burst. Tears poured down my face and I held her closely, burying my face in her hair. She still smelled like vanilla and leather.

“Katherine, wake up.” I whispered, holding her tightly, starting to rock back and forth, “Katherine please, wake up. Don’t leave me; I’m so sorry, please.” I held her lifeless body close to my own, biting my lip hard to keep from sobbing. My heart felt like it had finally burst when I realized it’d been too long. She should have already been up and walking around. 

Tears poured freely, sobs shuddering through my body violently. This was all supposed to have been some fun trip, an adventure, a walk on the wild side with no strings, no feelings and lots of fun. But it ended the way it always ends, love and heartbreak, “Katherine, I need you.” I whispered.

“Pathetic.” Katherine whispered back, the cutting edge in her voice slicing across my heart, “I love you.” She smiled, reaching up nervously to stroke my cheek with her hand, and then she grabbed my shoulder and pulled herself up, “I need blood.” I was out of the bed and back in a flash, handing her one of the bags of blood. She tore into it and drank deeply, chugging it until it was empty while I swiped at my tear stained face and watch the life flood back into her body, the hand releasing my heart.

She licked her lips and slid of the bed when she was finished, walking around testingly, flexing all of her body parts. Like she couldn’t remember exactly how her body functioned, things were different again, and she did this for five minutes before turning to me with darkness in her eyes, a glow to her skin and shine to her hair. she looked at me like she was trying to undress me.

She nearly put me through the wall when she ran at me, pinning me against it as she kissed me so passionately it made my head spin, she dug her nails into my thighs as she dragged my legs up around her waist, her teeth scraping along my neck and her fingers frantically tore at the fabric of my clothes until there was nothing left between her fingers and my flesh.

I’d forgotten how sex with Katherine was, and I’d especially lost the memory of the high I got from sex with vampire Katherine, the way she expertly moved her fingers in and out of me, moving faster than anyone ever could, but still managing to draw it out so torturously that when released finally came it felt like free falling for hours before I hit the bed and came back to the world, Katherine walking her fingers up my stomach and watching me with an amused grin on her face, “I missed you.” I whispered.

“I’m not nearly done with you.” She circled her finger around my nipple with a promising grin. 

I rolled over on top of her, gently pinning her to the bed, “now I think I’m the elder vampire here. Your strength isn’t even close to coming back, my love.” I buried my hand in her shorts, my fingers sliding roughly inside her, her eyes rolled back in her head and her moan came from somewhere deep inside her body as she shuddered, “and I’ve barely begun.”

I couldn’t tell you how long we spent in that cabin, I couldn’t say for certain how many times we pulled over on the way back to Mystic Falls because we couldn’t keep our hands to ourselves, but when we reached Mystic Falls I was floating so high on cloud nine that I couldn’t even see Earth anymore. Pulling up outside Jeremy’s house managed to pull me back down when I saw my adorable little niece bound out of the door. I was out of the car before Katherine shut it off, rushing over and scooping her up into my arms, “Ti Lena!” she squealed.

“Hello little Shelia.” I giggled, kissing her cheek, “you remember auntie Katherine?”

She looked between us confused for a moment, she’d met Katherine right before she left last year, “Kati?” she scrunched her forehead, “Kati!” Katherine’s expression was a mix of amused and alarmed when I passed the three year old to her so I could turn and hug my brother and sister-in-law.

“You two should have been here hours ago.” Jeremy frowned. Bonnie and I exchanged a look before I went into the house, Katherine and Shelia trailing behind us. I still had no clue what Katherine had planned for coming here, whether it was to visit my family or if it was because Klaus was supposedly here with Caroline, or maybe it was to see Stefan and Damon, I had no clue, but from the time I handed Shelia to her she was enamored, laying on the ground playing with her and talking to her.

“She would have made a good mother.” Bonnie observed, following my gaze to Katherine and Jeremy in the living room, “she’s welcome to come baby sit anytime.” She said it louder so Katherine could hear her. I watched the corners of Katherine’s lips twitch, “especially after this one comes.” She subs her hand over her mostly flat stomach.

“Another?”

“Yep.” Bonnie grinned, “listen closely.” She motioned to her belly. I leaned down and put my ear near her belly. There was a faint but certain heartbeat thumping within her belly.

“Congratulations, momma.” I grinned. Bonnie smiled, resting her hand gently over her stomach.

“I’d love it if I had a friend around this time.” She mumbled, “If you and Katherine don’t mind.” Her question was to me but her eyes were focused on Katherine who was grinning at Shelia, she glanced up briefly and nodded her head before turning back to the little girl tugging on her curls.

A few days later we were moved into Alaric’s old apartment, most of his stuff was still inside since we’d never bothered to clean it out. Katherine and I settled into a strange routine, she convinced me to go back to college and she hung around Mystic Falls and babysat for Bonnie and Jeremy or harassed Klaus down at the Grill with Damon.

It was strange how easy it was to fall into the routine, to feel normal and regular and life was perfect and wonderful. Though I doubted it would stay that way I was happy to have a place to call my home. Even it was just for now. Every night I got to crawl into bed beside Katherine and fall asleep tangled up with her. Everything was looking up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end. At least for now. I’m not sure. It just seemed like the place to end. I hope you liked the story!

**Author's Note:**

> Moved from my FFN account here. Will continue to update here.


End file.
